Kosovo forms working groups for implementation of laws for foreigners, vehicles

“Role and the responsibility of this group is to clarify requirements that presuppose laws, but at the same time, the commitment of the state in relation to the entities affected by the laws, aimed at facilitating their full implementation”, he said, but did not specify who is part of this working group.

Kryeziu stressed that representatives of the international community in Kosovo have only been notified with this group and “have held initial meetings”.

Earlier, the Serbian List, the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo to have Belgrade's backing, has indicated that it has held dozens of meetings with international representatives on these issues, saying internationals have decided to also superx0->form a team of experts dealing with the solution of this task”.

The first phase of full implementation of the Law for Foreigners and Automobiles began on January 16th and will last until March 15th. During this period, an information campaign for citizens regarding the two laws is set forth.

The implementation of these rules stemming from these laws will affect members of the Serb community living in Kosovo, who have so far been authorising vehicles with license plates of any city in Serbia or don't own Kosovo documents.

A group of non-governmental Serbian organisations announced on January 23rd that, in terms of warning of full implementation of the Law for Foreigners and the Law on Automotives, has talked with representatives of diplomatic missions in Kosovo and invited them for a greater commitment to the issue.

The New Social Initiative, the Centre for Social Affirmation, Active and the Institute for Territorial Economic Development have called on the international community to insist on “broad and comprehensive discussions with the Serbian community, which would include political relevans, civil society and the academic community, as preconditions for whatever steps we should learn about these legal frameworks”.

Meanwhile, the party's leader for freedom, justice and survival, Nenad Rassic, has called on all political actors in Kosovo, particularly the Serbian List, that “take responsibility and actively engage in the drafting of legal-technical proposals” in order to ensure transition to the implementation of the Law for Foreigners and the Law on Automotives.

Rassic estimated it is the responsibility of politicians to find forms of how “in an efficient and rational way to adapt to their implementation”.

On the other hand, the Serbian List through a reaction said Rasko “saw no legitimacy and support from the Serbian people take part in Albin Kurti's power and vote on all measures directed against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija”.

Rassic has been minister in Albin Kurti Government after the Serbian List in November 2022 left Kosovo institutions. In the last parliamentary elections, the Serbian List won nine of the ten seats reserved for the Serb community in the Assembly, meanwhile Rassic won one.

Kosovo's acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, on 16 January said that, along with implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Automotives, integration of Serbian health and educational institutions is necessary, adding that the process will be implemented in co-ordination with the European Union and that the concerns of non-US communities will be taken into account.

Education and health institutions in Serb communities in Kosovo operate within Serbia's system and are almost the only ones Kosovo authorities have not closed over the past two years under the action to shut down Serbian institutions, as Pristina considers them parallel and illegal.

The workers of these institutions, particularly professors and students at the University of Northern Mitrovica, may face problems when full implementation of the Foreign Law begins, because, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs' direction published on January 16th, all those who do not have Kosovo documents should possess work permits or licenses for work, for which request is handed over to the Kosovo Agency for Employment.

In practice, this means that the Serbian system's educational and health institutions must have licenses from Kosovo institutions.

MPB guidance also stipulates that, for study purposes, family union, humanitarian reasons, scientific research and other circumstances envisioned by law, the possession of temporary residence and the fulfilment of other conditions defined in the law is needed, depending on the purpose of the stay.

Also, it is predicted that foreign citizens in Kosovo can stay up to 90 days, while any longer stays require delivery of the requirement for residence permits.

If anyone violates these rules, competent bodies can take measures envisioned by law, which may include lifting the permit of residence, fines, expulsion or stopping entry into Kosovo territory. /Radio Free Europe/