• European Parliament votes to scarp visa regime for Kosovo citizens (BIRN)
• Visa liberalisation agreement to be signed on Wednesday (SchengenVisaInfo)
• Gervalla, Kosovo delegation thank MEPs for visa liberalisation (Klan)
• Kurti and Vucic to meet in Brussels on May 2 (Albanian Post)
• Joint monitoring committee for Kosovo-Serbia agreement established (media)
• U.S. expects implementation of past agreements, including Association (VoA)
• Vela: Serbian List informed of all developments regarding elections (Klan)
• Hovenier condemns arson incident in Orthodox church in Prizren (media)
• Montenegro Urged to Reinvestigate 1999 Killings of Kosovo Albanians (BIRN)

European Parliament votes to scrap visa regime for Kosovo citizens (BIRN)

Kosovo citizens will be able travel freely to the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone by the start of 2024 after European Parliament members approved the removal of the visa regime on Tuesday.

Kosovo passport holders will be able to travel to the EU without visas for 90 days in any 180-day period.

The exemption from visa requirements will apply from the start date for the operation of the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System, ETIAS, a travel authorisation system for non-EU nationals which is expected to come into force by November 1 this year or no later than January 1, 2024.

Prior to the vote on Monday, MEP Tomas Waitz, the co-chair of the European Green Party, said in a statement that “today is a day of joy for Kosovo and its citizens”.

“After years of blockade in the [European] Council, the European Parliament will finally approve visa liberalisation for Europe’s youngest country today. This step on Kosovo’s way towards the EU is long overdue,” Waitz added.

Kosovo was the only country in the Western Balkans with a visa regime with the EU, although it met all the requirements to secure visa-free travel in 2018. Since then, EU states that do not recognise Kosovo’s independence have been holding up the process of approval, as well as states like France and the Netherlands that were concerned about potential migration problems.

The government in Pristina welcomed Tuesday’s decision, saying that “Kosovo fulfilled all the conditions for the liberalisation of visas on time, but until now there has been a lack of consensus among member countries for the advancement of the process”.

“Thanks to the work of the government, especially in the field of the rule of law, the fight against corruption and migration management, the process was unblocked and EU institutions and member countries were convinced that Kosovo deserves the end of the visa liberalisation process and that the country has made significant progress and achievements in relevant fields,” the government statement added.

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Visa liberalisation agreement to be signed on Wednesday (SchengenVisaInfo)

The European Parliament approved on Tuesday the removal of visas for Kosovo, allowing its citizens to move visa-free to all Schengen Area countries. In a statement, the European Parliament has revealed that on April 19, the act would be signed into law in Strasbourg by Roberta Metsola, European Parliament President, as well as the Swedish Presidency of the Council, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. It also confirms that the signing will also be followed by a press conference in which will participate the Rapporteur, Thijs Reuten, as well as Besnik Bislimi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia Pressroom. “Citizens of Kosovo will be permitted to travel to the EU –and EU citizens to go to Kosovo- without requesting a visa, for periods of up to 90 days in any 180 days. After the law has entered into force, the entire Western Balkans region will have a similar visa framework for the Schengen area,” the statement revealed.

Thijs Reuten from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament said that following years in the waiting room, Kosovo is now the last Western Balkan country to join the visa-free regime. He added that the recent decision finally permits Kosovo citizens to easily travel, visit their relatives and also do business in the European Union, and more than that, it is an essential foundation for the future and ever-closer cooperation between authorities in the EU and Kosovo. The European Union Office in Kosovo also welcomed the approval of the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo. “Great news for Kosovo and the EU! Congratulations to all,” it noted in a statement.

The decision to finally abolish the visa requirements for holders of Kosovo’s passport has also been welcomed by the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, while she gave credits to citizens of Kosovo as well. “Today’s final decision on the liberalisation of visas for the citizens of Kosovo is a victory, not only for our country but for democracy itself and unity in Europe. This decision is the merit of the people of Kosovo, the unparalleled determination shown throughout the years, despite various delays and injustices,” Osmani said. The liberalisation process for Kosovo began for over ten years now. The European Commission in 2018 estimated that the country met all the needed requirements so the process could be finished; still, at present, citizens of Kosovo can visit only 15 countries without being required to apply for a visa at first, based on the VisaGuide.World Passport Index.

Gervalla, Kosovo delegation thank MEPs for visa liberalisation (Klan)

A Kosovo delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Gervalla stayed in Strasbourg until the European Parliament approved by consensus the liberalization of visas for Kosovars.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (MPJD) informs that this delegation has closely followed the proceedings of this session. Afterwards, Gervalla organized a reception for MEPs, where representatives of all parliamentary groups present in the European Parliament participated.

The minister thanked the MEPs for their contribution in concluding this visa process. The Kosovar delegation consisted of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kreshnik Ahmeti, Ambassador Agron Bajrami, Ambassador Lulzim Hiseni and other accompanying officials.

Kurti and Vucic to meet in Brussels on May 2 (Albanian Post)

Spokesperson for the European Union, Peter Stano, confirmed on Tuesday, that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet in Brussels on May 2 as part of the EU-facilitated dialogue for normalisation of relations.

Joint monitoring committee for Kosovo-Serbia agreement established (media)

A joint mechanism to oversee the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement for the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo has been established, the EU said Tuesday.

The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's office said the mechanism was established to oversee the implementation of the EU-facilitated agreement as a facilitator of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

The Joint Monitoring Committee will be chaired by the EU's Special Representative for the dialogue process and Other Western Balkan Regional Affairs, Miroslav Lajcak.

Kosovo will be represented by Ambassador Agron Bajrami in Brussels while Chief Negotiator Petar Petkovic will represent Serbia.

The Committee will meet regularly in Brussels and while the details will be specified in the first meeting, to be held immediately after the next high-level meeting. According to the EU spokesperson Peter Stano, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti will meet in Brussels on May 2.

The European Union claims that with this act on Tuesday, the first step has been taken in the implementation of what the parties had agreed to earlier in Ohrid.

U.S. expects implementation of past agreements, including Association (VoA)

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it expects from Kosovo and Serbia to fulfill the previous agreements resulting from the dialogue, including the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority.

In a written response to the Voice of America, the State Department said that the focus is to implement agreements for the normalization of relations. “Our focus is on the implementation of the agreement on the normalization of relations between the two countries, in order to help them develop peaceful, predictable relations as neighbors, which will enable greater stability, security and prosperity in the region. The U.S. and the EU expect both sides to fulfill previous agreements resulting from the dialogue, including the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities. This was also confirmed by the two leaders at the March 18 meeting in Ohrid," the statement notes.

Vela: Serbian List informed of all developments regarding elections (Klan)

Chief of Staff to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Blerim Vela, said on Tuesday that the Serbian List is informed of all developments regarding the April 23 elections in the northern part of Kosovo. Vela’s reaction came after the declarations of Serbia that Kosovo is organizing undemocratic elections.

"The Serbian List is represented and participates in the CEC, where all the election preparations for April 23 are taking place," Vela said in a tweet.

He emphasized that Serbia falsely claims that Kosovo is organizing "undemocratic" elections, adding that the Kosovar institutions prove the opposite with the actions they have taken.

"Kosovo Institutions have: Postponed the elections from December 22 to April 23; The CEC extended the deadline for registration of parties/candidates from March 18 to March 22; Kosovo Serb parties and candidates are registered for the April 23 elections; The Serbian List is represented and participates in the CEC, where all the election preparations for April 23 are taking place," Vela wrote on Twitter.

Hovenier condemns arson incident in Orthodox church in Prizren (media)

U.S. Ambassador in Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, met on Tuesday with the Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Raska and Prizren, Teodosije, to mark the Orthodox Easter. In the tweet, Hovenier said that they also talked about religious freedoms. "The Constitution of Kosovo provides religious rights for all Kosovars, who must be free to worship without obstacles or discrimination," he wrote.

Hovenier also condemned the incident where unknown persons tried to set on fire the door of the Orthodox church "Saint Pantelija" in Prizren during the Orthodox Easter holidays. "I call on the authorities to fully investigate the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice," he said.

Kallxo news website reported on Tuesday that the door of the church building "St. Pantelija" was set on fire Monday evening, while the case is being investigated by the competent bodies. According to the announcement of the Kosovo Police, a citizen reported shortly before midnight last night that he noticed a fire in the vicinity of the door of this Orthodox church. The police said that the same citizen reacted and managed to put out the fire without causing major damage, while later the police teams came to the scene. Always referring to the police, the patrol who responded to the case stated that upon arriving at the scene, the smell of gasoline was repulsive and a burnt plastic bottle was seen. To the police, the person who extinguished the fire also reported that unknown suspects tried to burn the entrance door of this facility. It was further said that after the evidence and testimonies were collected, the State Prosecutor was notified about the case, and recommended that the case "Infliction of general danger" be initiated.

The Serbian List, the biggest political party of Serbs in Kosovo, issued a reaction after the incident calling on “relevant international institutions, KFOR and EULEX, to protect Serbs and their holy places, because inciting hatred towards everything Serbian became part of daily statements of Kosovo institutional leaders, showing that they are not ready to protect our people and your holy places”.

Montenegro urged to reinvestigate 1999 killings of Kosovo Albanians (BIRN)

Human rights organisations called on prosecutors to reopen an investigation into the killings of six Kosovo Albanian civilians by Yugoslav Army troops in the Montenegrin village of Kaludjerski Laz in 1999.

Montenegrin human rights organisations said on Tuesday that the Special State Prosecution to reopen its probe of the killings of six Albanian civilians from Kosovo, including two children, by Yugoslav Army troops in the village of Kaludjerski Laz on April 19, 1999.

Five others were injured in the attack, which took place during NATO’s 78-day bombing of Yugoslavia, aimed at making President Slobodan Milosevic end his repression of ethnic Albanians and withdraw his forces from Kosovo.

According to prosecution data, from April to May 1999, 11 more ethnic Albanians were also killed in nearby areas while they were fleeing from Kosovo during the NATO bombing.

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