The Spanish daily: Liberalisation for Kosovo, a new step towards EU recognition

Gradually, Kosovo is gaining more recognition within the European Union. More recently, at the beginning of your year, it has been the entry into force of last April's European Parliament agreement allowing Kosovo citizens visa free movement in Schengen, the area of free movement that includes 23 EU member states along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

So writes the Spanish daily “El Periodico Espana”, based in Madrid, is the Spanish edition of the Catalan-based media, “El Periodico (de Catalunya)”

It further writes how the new measure enables Kosovars to enter and stay for the maximum 90 days (renewable after six months) in the bloc's countries. For this achievement, Pristina has been working since it declared independence in 2008 (with which it eventually separated from Serbia) some 16 years ago.

This puts an end to Kosovo's anomalies, which last year presented EU membership candidacy but is also the only country in the Western Balkans that has not enjoyed freedom of movement in Schengen in proportion to the countries of the region. Under these circumstances, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti went to Pristina airport on Monday to welcome the first group of passengers going to Vienna”, writes “El Periodico Espana”.

Polimica with Spain

On the other hand, what doesn't end is the controversy with Spain, a country that has not opposed the visa waiver move, but has held a confusing report on how to handle the decision, this medium writes further.

Last April, European Commission Justice spokesperson Christian Wigand found that Spain was the only country to object to the recognition of “documents of the trip of Kosovo”. Kosovo's “citizens will be able to move freely with their visas in all but one Schengen country”, he said. “Spain is still terrible in this case”, was the comment by journalist Una Hajdari on X, former Twitter, one of many comments that have recently criticised Spain's behaviour to social media.

This was accomplished by EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Josep Borrell. A historic EU decision is taking effect. Kosovo citizens can travel to the EU's visa-free zone from today. This brings significant benefits to both Kosovo and the EU”, Borrell wrote in his personal profile at X.

Even happier was the Dutch Euro-Depute, Thijs Reuten, from the party Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, who wished for this move accompanied with the “Kosovo is Europe”.

“Finally! After years of totally unnecessary delay, lifting EU travel visas goes into effect for all Kosovo citizens. Next step: Processing the application for candidate status”, Reuten said.

“El Periodico Espana” points out at the end that the decision comes shortly after Serbia unexpectedly decided to allow Kosovo license cars to enter the country, ending a crisis that had intensified over the past two years as Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq faces a new wave of civic protests against him.