From 1 January 2024 at the latest, citizens of Kosovo will no longer need a visa to travel to the European Union (EU). The European Commission originally proposed this in 2016. Negotiations can begin six years later.
This was decided by the EU Council on Wednesday. Kosovo passport holders will be able to travel to the EU without a visa for up to three months in the future. A condition for this was Kosovo’s entry into the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is expected to come into effect in November 2023. This provides for an extensive security check for travelers to the EU – among other things with the aim of preventing illegal immigration.
Critical and long run
“(…) Linking visa liberalization to ETIAS participation again unnecessarily delays the process. Kosovo has already fulfilled most of the conditions of all Western Balkan countries and has long implemented many reforms, such as document security, border and migration management, public order and security, and strengthening fundamental rights,” criticized Green MEP Thomas Waitz. SPÖ MEPs and ÖVP feel the same way.”(…) The long delay has rightly caused a lot of frustration among the population, visa liberalization is long overdue and the right step,” said Andreas Schieder, head of the SPÖ-EU delegation and rapporteur for Kosovo.
The Czech EU Council presidency now wants to start talks with the EU parliament. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky was convinced that “this good cooperation will only be expanded in the future”. The visa waiver should apply from 2024 at the latest.
Source: Krone
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