How Kurti prevented visa liberalisation through demarcation and drama in Brussels

However, closer than ever, visa liberalisation was in 2016, when Brussels' visa condition was to pass demarcation with Montenegro.

Demarkation with Montenegro, as well as fighting corruption, were two non-negotiable conditions for Brussels, so that Kosovo will only then have the opportunity to end isolation and move visa-free in the area of Schengen. This position about visas, Europeans had re-exemplified the former European Integration Minister, the Gift Hoxha.

Even, diplomat Christian Danielsson during his stay in Pristina, had said that the EU's stance on demarcation is firm.

Who prevented him?

Vetvendosje Movement MPs violentlyAs they had always done in opposition, They threw tear gas in the Kosovo Assembly, thus preventing ratification of the demarcation agreement with Montenegro.

Kosovo's former diplomatic chief Behgjet Pacolli had also called for the Vetevendosje Movement to vote on this agreement, as he said it was vital for the interest of Kosovo citizens.

“, declared on the other side Former German Ambassador to Kosovo Ernst Rachel.

He said it is not surprising why Kosovo was not involved in the EU decision along with Ukraine and Georgia for visa liberalisation.

“Dear Kosovo friends: you may have heard news about Ukraine and Georgia approaching visa liberalisation. Why is Kosovo not involved? Ratification of the border agreement with Montenegro has always been a precondition, and Kosovo has not met it”, he wrote.

Ratification of the demarcation occurred in 2018. With 80 votes for, 11 against and no abstention, the Kosovo Assembly ratified the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro.

The extraordinary session of the Kosovo Assembly for ratification of the demarcation took place under tensions and added security measures.

Dropping tear gas and ending the session in four cases, when it has tried to vote for ratification of demarcation, has resulted in the removal of the Vetevendosje Movement deputies from the Parliament's Police Hall in Kosovo.

After ratification of the demarcation agreement, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said Kosovo now expects the European Union to do its part, “to finally enable free movement in the EU, like all other Europeans”.

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The delay in ratification of the demarcation, due to the obstruction of the Vetevendosje Movement, led Kosovo not to catch the last train for Europe this time.

Four years later, Kosovo still visa-free, Vetevendosje government

Even four years later Kosovo still does not enjoy visa liberalisation. The only difference is that this time Kosovo is led by the party, which once prevented ratification of the demarcation, which became the cause of non-liberalisation of visas.

This year, visa liberalisation was in order in the EU day.

The Czech EU presidency sent letter to member states as a warning for discussions on the subject on 13 October.

“After the Czech Presidency thinks the reasons related to foreign policy for visa liberalisation for Kosovo are convincing, she hopes all EU member states will achieve internal political reconciliation on the issue. The EU's geopolitical approach to the Western Balkans is necessary. The region needs clear signal that the EU enlargement process is reliable and that the EU is ready to reward the reform efforts the Western Balkan countries make” in the document.

Although the European Commission is expected to confirm the positive view of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, this did not happen.

Kosovo, Serbia deal for license plates

November 1st marked the day Kosovo Police began blaming the owners of illegal license plates.

That move would continue until 21 November, meanwhile, from that date until January 21st, all owners of cars with Serbian license plates in Kosovo would be fined 150 euros.

But November 21st was not the start of implementing this phase after Kosovo Police announced last Sunday that the pronunciation of the fines would begin a day later on November 22nd, Monday, the day the emergency trilateral meeting was held in Brussels, which placed in front of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq. This meeting ended without agreement.

Not only did it end without an agreement, but the Kosovo side received criticism from the European Union as never before.

<x0), EU High Representative Joseph Borrell declared, as Kurti refused to accept this agreement.

The proposal for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, which envisions free movement no further than January 1st 2024, was removed from the agenda of today's meeting of ambassadors of EU member states.

The reasons for this are political and related to the situation in northern Kosovo.

Because of political developments in northern Kosovo, to have this point on the Coreper agenda [the ambassadorial staff] is not ideal”, the Czech EU Presidency said in announcing the postponement.

This drama of Prime Minister Kurti in Brussels lasted only one day.

The European Union, after failing to reach agreement between Kosovo and Serbia leaders, called at the meeting chief negotiators Bislimi and Petkovovic.

What Kurt rejected, Mr. T. Prime Minister Bislim accepted.

Kosovo and Serbia, on Wednesday evening, reached agreement on plates in Brussels.

EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell announced that Kosovo and Serbia's chief negotiators, under the ease of the EU, have agreed on measures to avoid further escalation and to focus fully on the proposal for normalisation of relations between them.

Serbia will stop issuing plates with the appointments of Kosovo cities, and Kosovo will cut off further actions regarding reregistering” vehicles, he said.

This “dram of Kurti” was also seen by deputies and political connoisseur, who criticised Kurti for becoming a cause for further visa liberalisation.

After Wednesday comes the agreement, is Faithful Bislimi? Loss of time, breaking up reports with our friends, delaying visa liberalisation, pulling no date for final agreements just to return to the license plates. Too bad!”, PDK MP Blerta Deliu wrote.

This behaviour, in addition to hurting Kosovo's relations with international institutions and friendly states, which Kosovo needs, has blocked and the country's main integration processes”, says LDK chairman Lumir Abdixhiku's response.

As for Demarkment and Kurt's drama in Brussels, Kosovo was again postponed visa liberalisation, thus says Professor Muhamet Hamiti.

The fact that Kurti's dramas are hampering visa liberalisation was confirmed earlier. Not until 24 hours after the signing of the agreement in Brussels by Bislim, case IVisa Iberisation for Kosovo is expected to return to the agenda of ambassadors of European Union countries in the coming weeks. So the Czech Presidency announced to Kosovo media.

The “Ende does not have a precise date when the visa liberalisation topic for Kosovo will return to the ambassadorial agenda, but we hope in the coming weeks” is said by this presidency”./Enis Rrustemi-Periscopi/