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Visa-free movement in the Schengen area is a reality for citizens of Kosovo. From this Monday, there are no obstacles for traveling to European Union countries. Anyone equipped with a biometric passport is given the opportunity to stay up to 90 days - within six months - in any of the member states of the Schengen area.
The only country that still has its borders closed is Spain, which does not recognize Kosovo and its passports.
The media reported numerous movements at Pristina's "Adem Jashari" airport, where hundreds of citizens had planned trips abroad, while in a ceremony at the airport, Prime Minister Albin Kurti considered the liberalization of visas as the removal of an injustice.
"This morning of the New Year 2024, there is no better way to start than with the expansion of the rights and opportunities of our citizens. We have waited too long, we have been deprived of many opportunities. Therefore, this is an important day, a great injustice is being removed and an important right is being won, the right to travel without visas in the Schengen zone", said Kurti.
Kosovo is the last country in the Western Balkans that benefits from free movement in the Schengen area. Since 2018, the European Commission had confirmed the fulfillment of the conditions, but some states had reservations.
The last was France, which through President Emanuel Macron announced the cancellation of the decision on liberalization a few months ago from Tirana.
In October, when he visited Tirana, Macron expressed his displeasure with the Kurti government's stance on the situation in northern Kosovo. The Franco-German plan had not received a clear answer for the implementation, the elections for the heads of the municipalities were not held, while the Vučič-Kurti dialogue was interrupted due to the attacks of the Serbian commando in Banjska, where the police officer Afrim Bunjaku was killed.
In the conference with the prime minister of Albania, Edi Rama, the president of France issued a statement that made a lot of noise, when he said that "We trusted them on the issue of visas, but it was suspended by France because it has to do with respect for the word given and the word was not kept".
The statement caused confusion. Macron's statement was interpreted in the media as if the cancellation of visa liberalization had become a fact. It took some time to clarify that such a decision was not in the hands of France alone.
In order to reverse the liberalization of visas, a series of mechanisms within the European Union had to be set in motion.
Albania had received the same threat before. When the Netherlands complained about the increase in Albanian criminality, the idea of restoring the visa regime was thrown. But for this to happen, the support of 2/3 of the EU states was needed.
The experience he had in the statements of Dutch politicians did not prevent Edi Rama from echoing Macron's message and reinforcing the idea that the visa liberalization plan for Kosovo could be cancelled.
Rama said that he felt "shaken" by Macron's statement, but reinforced the guest's statement saying "it would be dramatic for Kosovo to lose the right to liberalize visas".
Even in the days that followed, although it was clarified that Makron's statement was simply an expression of his displeasure through which he reminded Albin Kurti of the commitments he had made, Rama continued saying "while discussing (Makron) told me that "I don't I am ready to pave the way if those in Pristina will not pave the way for an agreement on the Franco-German plan. What did he mean by that? Visas. Naturally!".
Time did not justify Edi Rama's excitement that Albin Kurti could be punished. Visa liberalization has taken place and today Rama welcomed the decision with a message on social networks./Lapsi.al
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