Sentic: By requesting the removal of visa liberalization for Serbian passports in Kosovo, NGOs encourage discrimination

Deputy Kosovo Ombudsman Srdjan Sentic stated that civil society organizations in Kosovo, which were requesting the European Commission to withdraw the proposal for visa liberalization for holders of Serbian passports, were encouraging discrimination.

Sentic reminded on Facebook that many Serbs from Kosovo in the civil sector, including those working in Kosovo institutions, had actively supported visa liberalization for all Kosovo citizens due to the principle of freedom of movement as one of the leading principles of the European Union.

"I would also like to remind that the Constitution of Kosovo guarantees dual citizenship to all citizens, regardless of ethnic affiliation, and it is up to the citizen to decide which document to use and when. The argument that, in the case of controversial passports falling under the visa-free regime, the integration process of the Serbs in Kosovo will be jeopardized does not hold, as only those citizens who possess a Kosovo ID card, that is, those who are already integrated into the Kosovo system, can obtain a Kosovo passport", he stated.

He also points out that a certain number of citizens cannot obtain Kosovo documents due to existing administrative obstacles.

"Therefore, the passport issued by the Coordinating Office is the only document with which they can travel abroad", he added.

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Civil society organizations from Kosovo, 21 of them, wrote to the European Commission requesting the withdrawal of the proposal to include passports issued by the Coordination Office of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior in the visa liberalization scheme.