Republika Srpska threatens citizens of Bosnia and Kosovo with veto visa lifting

Actress Alban Ukaj's parents from Pristina have visited Sarajevo only twice over 22 years while he lives there. They don't visit because they need visas, and procedures [for visa equipment] are difficult and kill dignity, Ukaj says.

Reports that visas could be removed after the signing of the Free Movement Agreement in the Western Balkans by November 2022, as part of the Berlin Process, are controversial following the new impasse from the Republika Srpska (RS) entity.

The time will come to take responsibility for jeopardising basic human freedoms”, Ukaj says, commenting on the politicians' announcement from Republika Srpska's entity of further blocking the agreement.

The lifting of visas with Kosovo has been rejected for years by politicians from Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities headed by President Milorad Dodik, who leads the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD).

MPs from the RS National Assembly will discuss the veto of BiH Presidency member Zeljka Cvianovic, who said he was overvoted at the latest session of the collective head of state on Tuesday, 27 June.

New blockades are approaching after Cvianovic's last speech, otherwise SNSD official, which has called this issue devastating to the vital interest of Republika Srpska's entity.

Cvivanovic has mentioned the initiative of veto because of “the escalation of the crisis in northern Kosovo”, saying that “regime” of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, “does not deserve benefits”.

On 21 June, she warned the veto's initiative as a constitutional opportunity for members of Bosnia and Herzegovina's presidency, which would further cement the visa-free regime agreement.

This belongs to the XV century and kills human dignity. Time goes by and we can't get it back. My parents are getting older, and this is the most tragic thing for me”, says 43-year-old actor Alban Ukaj, who was born in Pristina while living and acting in Sarajevo.

He adds that he does not rule out the possibility that because of violating basic human rights, he is addressing the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Where do you see the Cwitanovi problem?

One of the three agreements for free movement in the Western Balkans, which was signed in November 2022 as part of the Berlin process, refers to freedom of movement only with IDs in the Western Balkans. While the other two agreements are for recognition of higher education diplomas and recognition of the professional qualifications of medical doctors, dentist doctors and architects.

In the case of Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, this also means the removal of the visa regime, which for years has burdened residents of both countries.

However, politicians from Republika Srpska refuse ratification, even though former chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltija, who is a member of Dodik's party, was one of the signatories of that document in Berlin last year.

“In principle, I am for the freedom of movement of citizens and goods, but under these circumstances, Pristina can now be no part of this” agreement, Cvianovic said on June 21st for Radio and Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS).

The veto initiative took place after overvoted at the BiH Presidency session, when it voiced opposition to conclusions for the adoption of the agreement on freedom of movement with IDs, for recognition of university diplomas and professional qualifications.

Conclations for the adoption of those agreements, agreed on under the Berlin Process, were supported by Denis Becirovovic and Zeljko Komsic, her colleagues at the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Meanwhile, Zeljka Cvianovic's move was welcomed by her party chief and Republika Srpska president, stressing that he is “responsible for protecting RS positions and that the National Assembly will support him with a two-thirds majority of”.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's constitution stipulates that a member of Bosnia and Herzegovina's presidency can declare a presidency decision, with which it disagrees, devastating to the subject's vital interest in the territory it has been chosen from.

In this case, the Constitution provides for the National Assembly of Republika Srpska to initiate veto and if it receives support from MPs, the presidency's conclusions will have no effect.

In order that Zeljka Cvianovic of “'s veto initiative is born”, it must be supported by two-thirds of the representatives of the RS National Assembly, namely 56 out of a total of 83.

Is the Berlin Process coming down?

Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Affairs Minister Elamdin Konakoviq estimates to REL that in the event the National Assembly of Republika Srpska supports veto, the “Berlin Process agreements will be dropped”.

Konakovic claims the state-level ruling coalition has previously reached an agreement on the adoption of two agreements, which refers to recognition of professional qualifications and university diplomas in the Western Balkans.

The principled support for these two agreements was given at the Bosnia Council of Ministers session on April 19th, when it was said that the third, the one for IDs, would be the target of a later political agreement.
Under current regulations, international agreements must be approved by the Bosniak Council of Ministers and the BiH Presidency, after which they are ratified by the parliament of this state.

It is an agreement for all countries, not only for Kosovo. They [politicals from Republika Srpska] were willing to support two and then at the Headship hearing was another third. Will they react with vetous because of the revolt? I don't know. This shows that conflicts and overvotes bring nothing, and we are taking five steps behind”, says Konakovic.

Otherwise, the state-level government in BiH consists of SNSD, the Croatian Democratic Party of BiH (HDZ) and several parties gathered around the Social Democrat Party of Bosnia.

“In the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have finished our work, as well as the BiH Presidency, and Parliament must now ratify. However, if the RS National Assembly refuses, then the process is blocked”, Konakovic points out.

Agreements on mutual recognition of identification, university diplomas and professional qualifications were signed in November last year by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Serbia.

So far, agreements have been ratified by all countries except Bosnia and Herzegovina, while work [for ratification of the agreement] from Montenegro is in the final phase, the Regional Co-operation Council (RCC), one of the co-ordinators for signing the agreement, told the REL.

We hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will soon ratify the agreements and thus show a common determination to overcome regional challenges. It's all about politics, and in this case it's about the obligations that have been undertaken and that should be respected”, REL Secretary General Majlinda Bregu said.

How is a visa device made?

Bosnia and Herzegovina, except for Serbia, is the only country in the Western Balkans that has not recognised Kosovo.

The recognition calls for the consent of all three Bosnia and Herzegovina presidency members and since 2008, when Kosovo declared independence, all members from Republika Srpska have rejected it.

According to the Bosnian Council of Ministers' decision from 2012, Kosovo citizens cannot travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina as tourists.

They are required to be equipped with visas, which are not located in the passport, but is issued on a separate form “only in extraordinary cases” at Bosnian embassies in Skopje, Podgorica and Belgrade.

Due to Bosnia and Herzegovina's rigorous visa regime for Kosovo citizens in 2014, official Pristina responded with the same measures, setting visas for citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Taking a visa is a complex, expensive procedure and takes a lot of time, where approximately one in three people gets a visa. It's about people, family reunions, even businessmen”, says Bregu. / REL