Visa Decision in Order Wednesday

At the meeting of this group, known as Coreper, the decision is expected to be adopted without question, as for its text, EU member states have agreed on November 22nd to a meeting of councilors on domestic issues and justice.

The text is compiled by Chechia, who has current EU leadership, following several meetings of working groups and bilateral discussions with countries that have had remarks.

According to the latest version, which has had access to Radio Free Europe, visa-free movement for Kosovo citizens will be possible when the European travel system takes effect, E TIAS, and the date for that is November 1st, 2023.

But, if there is delays for this system, visa liberalisation for Kosovo will enter into force no later than on January 1st 2024.

Until then, Kosovo should aim to have “agreements or arrangements” for repatriation with those EU countries it does not have.

Kosovo is also required to continue to adopt its visa policy with that of the EU, while it remains to pass through several other procedures that require member states.

The decision, which will come in line Wednesday, was initially the first to be voted in on November 23rd.

It has been removed from the agenda, due to tensions in Kosovo that have prompted a decision by the country's government to reregister cars with illegal Serbian license plates.

Meanwhile, Kosovo and Serbia, with EU mediation, have reached agreement on the license issue.

In addition to the text on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Cekia has made a statement with which EU member states are required to do their best to make the system. E TIAS to be operational on the set date, respectively, on November 1st next year.

ET The IAS requires that foreign citizens, who travel visa-free on EU territory, register their data on this pre-traveling system.

France has been the state that has largely insisted that the entry into force of visa liberalisation for Kosovo be linked to the functionality of the ETIAS, saying it is important for increased security of member states.

Visa liberalisation will enable Kosovo citizens to travel freely to what is known as the Schengen area, consisting of 26 European states.

Kosovo, currently, is the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens cannot freely move to this area.

This, despite the fact that the European Commission, since 2018, has confirmed several times that Kosovo has met all the conditions for visa liberalisation, but has been some member states that have consistently expressed reservations.