GLPS: Adoption of the EC's proposal removes Serbs' motive to be equipped with Kosovo passports

The group for Jury and Political Studies is rejecting the European Commission's proposal for the inclusion of passports of Serbia's Interior Ministry Co-ordination Office in visa liberalisation. While the Kosovo Serbs' motive for obtaining Kosovo passports has recently increased, according to GLPS, adopting such a proposal takes away this motive.

The European Commission has proposed this Thursday to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to lift visas from holders of Serbian passports issued by the Interior Ministry Co-ordination Office primarily for Kosovo Serbs. In these passports, Kosovo settlements figure Serbia's settlements.
A year after Kosovo declared independence, the EU conditioned Serbia that visa liberalisation be applied only to its ordinary passports, which was later reflected in European legislation.

For persons living in Kosovo as defined by UN Security Council Resolution 1244 on June 10, 1999 (other than U NSCR 1244) and citizens with citizenship certificate issued from Kosovo territory (UNSCR 1244), a Co-ordination Office in Belgrade will be competent for obtaining passport applications and issuing passports”, says at EC point 4 (1244/2009) - November 30th 2009.

And the EC's newest proposal, according to the Committee for Jury and Political Studies Group, regardless of whether it can serve free movement, removes the motive for Serbs to integrate at the most basic level of being citizens of Kosovo.

This would be a great moment to put even more pressure on those citizens who have not yet been equipped with official documents to do so. Even to come this proposal at such a moment when there is precondition and desire maybe because the same would be stimulated to apply for Kosovo documents -- this proposal harms this option and actually this opportunity for institutional integration of Serbian citizens”, said Arbresa Loxha Stublla .

However, the European Commission's proposal is for the EU to recognise these travel documents, calling in the statement that those who hold the passports of Serbia's Co-ordination Office would be discriminated against on January 1st, 2017, when visas will be lifted for Kosovo citizens.

“With the entry into force of visa liberalisation for those who own Kosovo passports, the Commission considers that the reasons for the exclusion of passport holders issued by the Serbian Co-ordination Office by visa liberalisation do not exist, and that all citizens of the Western Balkan region must benefit from visa liberalisation in the Zone Schengen” said in the proposal for amendment of regulation (EU) 2018/06 November 1623.

TIMEn sources have said there are thousands of people in the north who have no Kosovo documents at all.

Serbian media have reported that Serb civil society organisations in the north have supported the proposal, saying not all Serbs especially in the north have the opportunity to provide Kosovo documents.

Sources in Kosovo's MPB have said most of those who are not equipped with Kosovo passports make up war veterans in Bosnia and Croatia who have not exploited this right they have to naturalize.