Von Croamon: European Parliament expected tomorrow to vote visa liberalisation for Kosovo

On Tuesday, April 18th, the European Parliament is expected to vote on visa liberalisation for Kosovo.

This comes after the March 9th decision when the European Council mechanisms-making of the European Union voted for the first time to lift the visa regime for Kosovars.

According to the EP announcement, as soon as the plenary hearing Tuesday is approved liberalisation -- the formal act Wednesday -- becomes a law signed by the EP president and Sweden's representative, who holds the EU presidency until 3 June.

According to procedures, the decision is announced in the official newspaper and will enter into force the most distant and certainly January 1, 2024.

According to European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo (PE) Violet von Cramon, the decision would likely be passed on July 1st, but Spain, which holds the EU presidency in the second six months of the year under it, did not want to address the issue.

I'm sorry about this, this is the wrong decision, but it's better late than ever. So we are hoping that January 1st will be the date when even Kosovo citizens will enjoy visa-free travel to Europe. ” said Von Croamon.

The European Parliament has voted several times since 2016 in favour of Kosovo's free movement to the Schengen Zone.

The negotiation process between official Pristina and Brussels for the removal of the visa regime began in January 2012.

Kosovo has met 95 criteria that were nearly double that were asked to other Western Balkan countries, which have liberalisation for more than a decade.