EC to respond to Government for visa waivers for Kosovo citizens with Serbia passports

The European Commission has not answered specific questions about the proposal that even Serbia's passport carriers living in Kosovo be included in visa liberalisation.

In April of this year, the EC had stressed that the visa liberalisation approved for Kosovo applies only to Kosovo passport owners and not to those citizens who have passports of the Co-ordination Administration, which works within the framework of Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

But, in the new proposal, the EC has argued that there is already no reason why it was decided that Kosovo's Serb-based passport carriers would not be able to travel without visas, unlike Serbia's citizens with residence in Serbia.

The European Commission's spokeswoman for domestic affairs, Anita Hooper, has warned that the Home Affairs Commission, Ylva Johanson, will be able to respond in the letter submitted by the Government of Kosovo.

The European Commission on 16 November has approved the proposal with the aim of ensuring the involvement of all Western Balkan citizens in the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU. The commission is expected to be approved by EU lawmakers”, it has answered the question of what the Commission's position is about remarks the Government of Kosovo has given, and some non-governmental organisations from Kosovo, that with this proposal the Commission will prevent the integration of Serbs to Kosovo, and that such a thing violates Kosovo's territorial integrity.

“As far as the second issue is concerned, it will be forwarded by the Johann Commission to its response to the specific question”, the European Commission's spokeswoman has said, referring to the letter Kosovo Government has sent to the European Commission.

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, on November 20th, has sent a letter to the European Commission and the EU Council saying this proposal violates Kosovo's sovereignty, hinders the integration of Serbs in Kosovo and opens the risk of using incorrect data, which also poses security threats.

The introduction of passports by Serbia's illegal Co-ordination Centre, which considers municipalities in Kosovo part of Serbia's jurisdiction, is serious violation of sovereignty”, said in the letter of the Government of Kosovo, where it is reminded that the European Union has regarded Kosovo as the only legitimate authority for the civil registry with the right to issue passports for citizens living in its space.

The Kosovo government has rejected claims that Serbs would not be involved in visa liberalisation, as they, with accelerated and simplified procedures, could be equipped with Kosovo passports.

The Kosovo Government letter also provides the figures, according to which in the first ten months of this year 4,350 Kosovo Serbs received Kosovo passports, which is a 29 per cent increase compared to last year.

Regarding the EC's proposal, more than 20 civil society organisations have reacted earlier during November 21st.

Through an open letter to Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, civil society has demanded that the EC withdraw the proposal.

From 1 January 2024 Kosovo citizens are expected to travel visa-free to 27 EU countries, which make up the so-called Schengen zone.

After visa liberalisation for the bearer of biometric passports of the Republic of Kosovo goes into effect, Kosovo-based Serbian passport carriers, if the EC proposal does not live, would remain the only one without the possibility of visa-free movement. /rel