Kosovo lifts Bosnia's unilateral visas, Sarrazin warns Germany's pressure for Dodik to lift blockade

The German emissary for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, at a press conference, has also spoken of the Government of Kosovo's decision since January 1st, 2025 to allow the entry of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina with ID cards only in Kosovo. Sarrazin in Gazeta Express's question on the issue, has said this is a positive step of Kosovo and that this is the true spirit of the Berlin Process.

It's a positive step. This is the true spirit of the Berlin Process and has a positive impact on those who hold Bosnia and Herzegovina passport”, Sarrazin has said, says the Express newspaper.

Asked whether Germany will take action to convince the other side to lift the visa regime for Kosovo, Sarrazin has said that official Berlin since November 2022 has pressured and made efforts to convince Milorad Dodik's Republika Srpska to lift the blockade to enable implementation of the Free Movement Agreement between Bosnia and Kosovo.

Sarrazin has said Germany will commit to this issue and has made it clear that removing the blockade from Dodik is something very important.

Germany has been putting pressure on and demanding since November 2022, and has made efforts to convince Republika Srpska to remove national veto. We've made it clear that this is very important”, Sarrazin said the Gazette Express question.

The German emissary, however, has made it clear that there will be “since” for Dodik in exchange for removing national veto and enabling the removal of the visa regime for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

We've made it clear that we're not going to give sugar for this, that we're going to pay”, Sarrazin said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has announced Monday from Berlin that since January 1st 2025, the Republic of Kosovo will allow citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to enter the territory of the Republic of Kosovo only with BiH identification. The Kosovo move has also been applauded by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has also mentioned it at the news conference held for the media.