23 minutes agoVoting in European Parliament for Visas Next Week
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)The long-standing process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo is almost in the last phase. The European Parliament is scheduled for April 18th to vote on the text EU countries agreed on. Member states that were more reluctant to lift isolation convinced that Kosovo should be the only state [...]
Member states that were more reluctant to lift isolation became convinced that Kosovo should be the only state in the Western Balkans facing such a regime. The process was unblocked by the EU Council of Ministers, which followed with the drafting of a text member states agreed on.
Kosovo citizens will be able to travel freely towards the EU by January 1st 2024. At first, the deadline agreement was set for November 2023, but it was conditioned by France with the functioning of the E system. TIAS. However, this opportunity was lost since ETHIAS will be late.
On the Kosovo visa issue, the European Parliament faced it earlier in 2018.
After the EP vote, there are five steps before the verdict finally takes effect:
EU ambassadors vote in simple majority for visa liberalisation
EU Council of Ministers approves visa liberalisation in simple majority
The legal act is signed by representatives of EU institutions, European Commission, European Council and European Parliament
The decision is published in the Official Journal, including the date of entry into force
Visa liberalisation comes into force
Since 2018, the European Commission has declared that Kosovo has met the conditions for visa liberalisation, yet the process was not further brought to other EU linkes. For this reason, there has been disappointment among citizens over the years, but with the actual steps taken by EU institutions now bringing the end of this stream to a real one.
The Dutch Eurodeput, Thjis Reuten, whose country was among the most sceptical, was appointed rapporteur for visa liberalisation for Kosovo in the European Parliament. In a proposal for the Express earlier, Reuten had said there would be no more changes to the content of the agreement and that this means that visa liberalisation will enter into force either at the same time as ETIAS or on January 1, 2024.
“This means that no further than next year, Kosovo will eventually have the deserved and delayed visa-free journey to the EU”.
For these developments in the EU, government officials in Kosovo received the merits. Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi said improving the rule of law by the Kurti Government is the reason.
We are now towards the successful completion of this protracted process for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo. The successes achieved by the Government, especially in the rule of law, our continued work with member states and the support of our strategic partners were key factors in advancing this process, which had been blocked for years”, he had said after EU ambassadors approved the text for visas.
For the EU's delay, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama had been ironic, since after approval by ambassadors, he also congratulated the EU on it.
A year-longly delayed step was launched today by the EU, which is finally removing the reproach of treating Kosovo as if it were a country outside Europe! Congratulations not only to Kosovo, but also to the European Union”.
