Kosovo Serbs with Serbia passports from today can travel visa-free to EU

Kosovo Serbs who have Serbian passports issued by the so-called Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs Co-ordination Office can from today travel visa-free to EU countries.

The visa removal regulation, which was published in the EU Official Journal on September 23rd, entered into force today.

This regulation goes into effect on the twentieth day from the date of publication in the official European Union Journal. This regulation is fully binding and directly applicable to member states in accordance with” treaties, the document says.

Serbia's ambassador to the EU, Danijel Apostolovic, has said this is good news because it removes the EU's injustice and discrimination against Kosovo Serbs. He has said that this decision is the result of the diplomatic struggle of Serbian officials, who, according to him, has not been an easy decision, reports the Serb groups.

The regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for amendments to the regulation regarding holders of Serbian passports issued by Serbia's Co-ordination Administration was signed on 18 September in Strasbourg by European Parliament President (PE) Roberta Metzola and Hungary's Minister for European Affairs, Yiannos Boca, as the country's representative to chair the EU Council, broadcast RTK.

On March 6th, the European Parliament's Home Affairs Commission appointed the Slovenian Eurodeput from the ranks of the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Matjaz Nemec, rapporteur for the removal of the visa regime for Kosovo Serbs possessing illegal passports.

The Kosovo government had said that the European Commission has not consulted and informed about the proposal for abolishing visas for Serbian passport carriers living in Kosovo.

The executive had considered <x0) unacceptable violation of sovereignty”, while calling on the EU for Serbian passports to be treated as illegal.

Kosovo citizens from January 1st, 2024, have won the opportunity to move visa-free through the countries of the European Union, but free visa movement was not worth the possession of Serbian illegal passports.