18/11/14
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20 January 2012
This week, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström launched a visa liberalisation dialogue with Kosovo in Pristina. The aim of this dialogue is to eventually lift the visa obligation for citizens of Kosovo. This will only be possible once the Government of Kosovo has implemented substantial reforms in areas such as the security of travel documents; border, migration and asylum management; public order and security issues as well as fundamental rights.
"Our commitment to visa liberalisation for the citizens of Kosovo is real, and I am very pleased that we can now start making concrete progress towards this goal. I know how important visa free travel is to the citizens of Kosovo and I'm happy that we've now set the ball rolling. Whether and how soon citizens obtain the privilege of visa-free travel will nevertheless depend entirely on the Government of Kosovo's continuing efforts to implement reforms in the rule of law area and on concrete progress made on the ground," said Cecilia Malmström.
In the past, the EU launched visa liberalisation dialogues with five Western Balkans countries in order to allow their citizens to travel to the EU without a visa. Following an assessment on the progress made by these countries in implementing major reforms, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia joined the EU's visa-free regime in December 2009 and Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina in November 2010.
During her visit in Kosovo, Commissioner Malmström held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuçi and others. She also visited the Centre for Protection of Victims and Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings, a non-profit organisation providing legal assistance, accommodation and education to victims of trafficking.
Find out more and see pictures from the Kosovo visit here.
