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"Two countries support visa liberalization with Kosovo" (Tanjug, B92)

A group of EU member states have expressed "great skepticism" regarding the approval of visa liberalization for Kosovo. Only two countries supported the entry of Kosovo into the Schengen area, B92 reports.

This is written in a report by the Kosovo Foreign Ministry which daily Koha Ditore said it had seen. This report was made after a meeting held this month with representatives of the 17 EU member states.

Kosovo Visa Liberalisation Risks Leaving Serbs in Limbo (Balkan Insight)

Many Serbs living in Kosovo may not benefit from the visa liberalisation with the EU that Kosovo is hoping to secure soon, rights activists are warning.

Holders of Serbian passports in Kosovo may not be able to travel to and around the EU's visa-free Schengen zone once the EU relaxes its travel regime with Kosovo, experts warn.

Kosovo-Serbia status remains biggest challenge in Balkans – EU envoy (EURACTIV)

Normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia is “the most complicated process in the Balkans at the moment”, according to the head of the EU’s office in Pristina. But both sides need steady encouragement from the international community to reach a final solution and progress towards EU membership.

“Demarcation should not be obstacle to visa liberalisation” (Koha)

Slobodan Vujicic, head of the Association of Montenegrins in Kosovo, through a press statement said that Montenegro and Kosovo can make necessary adjustments to the agreement on border demarcation, adding that demarcation should not be an obstacle to process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo. “The good neighborly relations between Kosovo and Montenegro are at the highest level. We are convinced that Montenegro as a state has not been and will not be an obstacle to Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process.

Veseli: EU unfairly keeps Kosovo citizens isolated (RTKLive)

Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli, met today with Croatia’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Marija Kapitanovic, with who he discussed the excellent relations between Kosovo and Croatia. Veseli and Kapitanovic also discussed the steps being undertaken by Kosovo in the path of European integration, with particular emphasis on the process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. Veseli said that the EU is unfairly keeping Kosovo citizens isolated.

Thaci: Visa recommendation is not a present, it was deserved (RTKlive)

During his visit to Kosovo, the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, met also with the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, and said during this meeting that there is still work to be done on the rule of law. Thaçi on the other hand stressed that Kosovo’s vision and goal is the European perspective.

Hahn thanks opposition for the contribution to integration process (lajmi.net)

During the last session of the parliamentary Commission for the Stabilization Association Agreement, Johannes Hahn said that the SAA is a historical step and marks contractual relations with the European Union. However, according to him, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary remain a challenge.

Lunacek Urges Kosovo to Ratify Montenegro Deal (Balkan Insight)

With a football in her hands, the Vice President of the European Parliament, Ulrike Lunacek, congratulated Kosovo on its admission into FIFA and UEFA, football's main international bodies, before going to say that now it's up to Kosovo if it wishes to secure visa liberalisation with the EU.

Border demarcation would not have to be related to visas (Koha Ditore)

Augustin Palokaj writes in his weekly column for the paper that while the news of visa liberalization for Kosovo is good, it should be received with caution as it is difficult to give an exact estimate of when the visa regime will actually be lifted. According to Palokaj, on one hand, there is no predictability and stability within the EU on anything and on the other hand, apart from the 90 criteria that Kosovo had to fulfill from the visa liberalization roadmap, two adEUditional ones were added to the list by the European Commission.

Mustafa: We must ratify the border demarcation agreement (Kosovapress)

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said today that the fight against corruption and ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro, are two conditions that Kosovo needs to meet in order to get visa liberalization. “I want to thank the Assembly because we have stepped up certain processes to meet the criteria. The European Commission made a historic decision. There are two more conditions that we need to meet. We must ratify the border agreement with Montenegro.