Citizens of Kosovo will be able to visit the Schengen Area without a visa

The ceremony held at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg was attended by EP President Roberta Metsola, EU Mandate Chair, Swedish European Affairs Minister Jessika Roswall, EP Rapporteur for Kosovo, Thijs Reuten, Kosovo European Integration, Development and Dialogue, Besnik Bislimi. , First Deputy Prime Minister in charge, and Donika Gervalla-Schwarz, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo.

After the signing ceremony, Kosovo’s Rapporteur Reuten and Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi held a joint press conference. Reuten said that the injustice committed against the citizens of Kosovo has finally come to an end.

Stating that the EU finally kept its promise by opening Kosovo’s European integration chapter, Reuten said: “This decision is not only significant for Kosovo, because all citizens of the region outside of Kosovo would be able to travel without a visa. It was unfair, it was unfair, and this situation is over. Kosovo worked hard to meet all the requirements years ago, they met the requirements and now they are rewarded for it.” he used the phrases.

“THROUGH FREE WILL STRENGTHEN OUR LINKS WITH THE EU”

Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi also noted that since January, Kosovo citizens will not lose “thousands of opportunities” because they cannot obtain visas for European countries, adding: “This has been a long and difficult process with many obstacles ahead, and it took 11 years to complete.Visa liberalization will enable people-to-people contacts, strengthen our ties with the EU, reaffirm the EU’s commitment to the region, and increase commercial, educational and cultural activities for our citizens,” he said.

Bislimi also said that all Kosovo Serbs who do not already have a Kosovo passport will have 8 months to obtain a passport before the visa-free travel decision takes effect.

Kosovo citizens will be able to travel to the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period from January 1, 2024, after the decision is published in the official gazette. (AA)