An information campaign on visa-free travel rules in the Schengen area was officially launched today by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, which, as he says, will prepare Kosovars to “what’s on the horizon.”
This is the final step in a much-anticipated and long-delayed process before the visa waiver agreement is implemented, with the Prime Minister confirming that it will finally begin to be implemented from January 1, 2024. SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
After a long wait and a lot of hard work, esp. Over the past two years, visa liberalization for citizens will finally come into effect on January 1st. Today, together with our partners, we launched an information campaign on visa-free travel rules to prepare our citizens for what is on the horizon.”
Kosovo’s accession to the rest of the neighboring Western Balkan countries which do not require a visa to travel to European Union countries short stays has also been confirmed by the German Embassy in Kosovo earlier this week.
This means that from January 1, 2024, Kosovar passport holders will be able to travel to any state in the EU Schengen zone and stay there for 90 days within a period of 180 days from the date of entry, for tourism, commercial purposes. , family, cultural and sporting visits, or official visits, among others.
The visa-free travel agreement for Kosovo passport holders was adopted by the EU in April this year. However, concerns have been raised following comments by French President Emmanuel Macron that his country could review the commitments it has made on the political and economic issues of visas for Kosovo and Serbia.
Such remarks were criticized by the rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Viola von Cramon, who stressed that this process is not and should not be linked to the dialogue with Serbia. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, meanwhile, warned that any suspension of visa-free travel to the EU for Kosovars would kill dialogue with Serbia once and for all.
Kosovo and Serbia aim to become EU members, but Brussels has stressed they should first resolve their dispute through a mediated dialogue.
On December 14 last year, Kosovo officially submitted its application for EU membership and is waiting for this process to be finalized. Last month, the president of the European Committee for NATO (NGO), Gunther Fehlinger said Kosovo should be part of the bloc by 2029.
