European Parliament has voted in favour of the European Commission’s recommendation for opening negotiations with European Union Council on visa liberalisation for Kosovo.
The parliament’s rapporteur for visa liberalisation, Tanja Fajon, said Kosovo citizens are now one step closer to visa-free travel to Europe. “Happy to have received green lights from European Parliament with a big majority for negotiations with EU Council on visa liberalisation for Kosovo,” Fajon wrote on Twitter adding that the process now will continue with governments of EU countries. “I shall not stop until we deliver!” she wrote. European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo, Igor Soltes, also hailed the vote. “I hope the EU Council will follow our example, Kosovo citizens deserve same opportunities,” he tweeted.
Kosovo leaders welcomed European Parliaments’ vote. Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, congratulated the citizens of Kosovo on European Parliament’s decision and assured them they would soon be able to travel freely to Europe. “Thankful to all MEPs and parliamentary groups, all parties and member states for supporting our right to freedom of movement,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook. President Hashim Thaci said citizens of Kosovo are a step closer to achieving the right to free movement in the Schengen Zone. “I am convinced that this process will be concluded within a short period of time,” Thaci said in a Facebook post. At the same time, Minister for European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, said Kosovo is now only one step away from visa liberalisation. She said Kosovo institutions met all necessary criteria for visa-free travel and today’s vote was acknowledgment of this work. She also thanked Tanja Fajon and all other MEPs that voted in favour of visa liberalsiation for Kosovo.
