Balje on visa liberalization for Serbian passports in Kosovo: Make a decision that will be equal for everyone

The Kosovo Government has requested the European Union to reconsider the decision to abolish visas for holders of Serbian passports in Kosovo, and Duda Balje, a representative of the Bosniak community in the Kosovo Assembly and the President of the Human Rights Commission, assessed for Kosovo Online that politics was backfiring on citizens, emphasizing the need for a decision that would be equal for everyone.

Balje points out that, in addition to Serbs, Bosniaks also hold passports issued by the Coordination Office of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, as well as a certain number of Albanians. She believes that a decision on visa liberalization should be made equally for all citizens of Kosovo.

"Citizens had these types of passports; they obtained them when they needed them. No one got a passport just to keep it at home. Everyone was forced to do it for some reason. The need to travel abroad was significant here because we were practically in a ghetto for some time", Balje said.

She emphasizes that citizens are confused because they don't know where to obtain which document and that they need support from both sides, both from Pristina and Belgrade.

"We should let it happen. I am someone who fights for human rights, and I believe that those who want to find a way, and those who don't, find a reason. I think these people should have support from both sides, from Kosovo and from Serbia. We should talk about this because very little is said about them. It was just a comment; I think they will have a lot of problems because, you know, when you have a document in your hands and you don't have an address to go to solve your problem, that's the biggest dead-end, nowhere to go. People are a bit uninformed; they don't know the language. When they come here to Pristina, Pristina is big, and very few people who don't know the city can manage, and it backfires on them. I appeal to those who are competent to solve this problem", Balje said.

Von Cramon: Visa-free regime emphasizes commitment to respecting basic human rights

The European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo, Viola von Cramon, stated for Kosovo Online that the visa-free regime emphasized the commitment to respecting basic human rights, and freedom of movement, and promotes a common vision for a peaceful and prosperous future for all communities in Kosovo and the region.

"As the European Parliament rapporteur, I have been a persistent supporter of visa liberalization for Kosovo. Kosovo has met all criteria, and visa liberalization for all its citizens has long been overdue. The vast majority in the European Parliament has repeatedly called for a visa-free regime, and finally, it comes into effect from January 1, 2024. The issue of passports issued by the Coordination Directorate of Serbia is excluded from the Regulation on visa liberalization for Kosovo with the understanding that Kosovo Serbs and all other citizens of Kosovo who have these passports should have the right and can apply for and receive a Kosovo passport. I would like to underline once again that the visa-free regime emphasizes the commitment to respecting basic human rights, and freedom of movement, and promotes a common vision for a peaceful and prosperous future for all communities in Kosovo and the region", Von Cramon stated.

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, stated on Facebook that there had been no discussions with the Government of Kosovo regarding the proposal from the European Commission for passports issued by the Coordination Center of Serbia.

"The illegal passports issued by the Coordination Center of Serbia are considered to imply that municipalities in Kosovo are under the jurisdiction of Serbia, and this is a violation of our sovereignty. This is unacceptable", Bislimi wrote.

Some non-governmental organizations in Pristina have also opposed the proposal, leading to reactions from certain Serbian NGOs.

"With great disbelief and disappointment, we react to the news that dozens of non-governmental organizations from Kosovo, our partners and friends, have written to the European Commission in protest of the proposed changes to the EU Directive to include the Coordination Directorate of Serbia in the visa-free regime", the New Social Initiative (NSI) and 16 other Serbian non-governmental organizations in Kosovo stated in a press release.