In parallel with the visa liberalization process, Kosovo also has a dialogue process open with Serbia, for which Brussels is seeking concrete results. Meanwhile, the Government of Kosovo does not seem to have coordinated its actions to move this process forward. In all this, straining relations with the EU, or even with one of the most influential states in this union, could have consequences not only for the dialogue, but also for visa liberalization.
Zelfie Zeneli
Visa liberalization once again received great attention as a topic in Kosovar society during October of this year. This, since the moment when it was learned that the visa working group of the Council of the European Union would put this issue on the agenda for the first time. Such an action was initiated when this Council is chaired by the Czech Presidency, a country that has already openly expressed support for Kosovo in this process.
In the letter that the Czech Presidency sent to the EU Council states, it highly appreciates the reform efforts of the Western Balkan states. In the case of Kosovo, specifically the issue of liberalization, it describes it as a delayed process, noting that this, in addition to hindering the European path of the Kosovo state, could negatively affect the trust of Kosovars in the correctness of the EU.
However, this will, clearly expressed by the Czech Presidency, although welcomed and supported by the Council member states, was hampered by a new proposal from France, which is also being interpreted as conditionality. The French state requested the connection of this process with the operationalization of the ETIAS system, the European system for travel authorization and information. This proposal also found the support of Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, the latter among the five EU states that still do not recognize the independence of Kosovo.
This did not bring anything very optimistic, at least not as expected. Four years after the European Commission had recommended visa liberalization for Kosovo for the first time, in 2018; this time too, in the annual progress report it reconfirmed that the recommendation remains in force during the meeting of 12 October. However, this is not new in this process, knowing that both the European Commission and the European Parliament are two EU institutions that have consistently supported and recommended visa liberalization for Kosovo.
As before and after the October meeting, the Czech Presidency remains confident that this process will find support in the Council of the EU. Its confidence is not diminished by the fact that decisions in this institution require a qualified majority vote.
On the other hand, optimism is also seen from the heads of Kosovo's institutions, although this is being expressed cautiously. In fact, the president of the state, Vjosa Osmani, in an interview, when asked about this issue, referred to herself as a "cautious optimist". Meanwhile, Prime Minister Albin Kurti also appears cautious about the deadlines, constantly emphasizing only the fact that Kosovo has met all the criteria.
Both of these leaders, currently at the head of the two main state institutions, have in the past, as oppositionists, criticized their predecessors for deceiving citizens and for populism in relation to this process. While, against them, political opponents accuse them of having obstructed liberalization as oppositionists during the time when they opposed the demarcation of Kosovo's border with Montenegro, a period when the demarcation was said to be the decisive criterion leading to the lifting of the visa regime.
Remembering that Kosovo's institutional leaders promised that visa liberalization would occur as early as 2012, given the various statements and constant clashes on this issue among political class actors, the progress of this process does not seem much different from its yesterday. Consequently, what remains important for Kosovo in terms of liberalization is tomorrow.
The Council of the European Union's visa working group is expected to hold another meeting in November. Despite the fact that the political will of the Czech Presidency to move forward with the liberalization process is already known, it is not known whether the "ETIAS" issue will become a roadblock for further progress. In addition, the voices of European diplomats demanding the finalization of this process have increased. This can be considered hopeful.
In parallel with the visa liberalization process, Kosovo also has a dialogue process open with Serbia, for which Brussels is seeking concrete results. Meanwhile, the Government of Kosovo does not seem to have coordinated its actions to move this process forward. In all this, straining relations with the EU, or even with one of the most influential states in this union, could have consequences not only for the dialogue, but also for visa liberalization.
Zelfije Zeneli, Student at the Faculty of Journalism
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