Stojanovic: The abolition of visas corrects an injustice; the decision of the EU Council is a result of the engagement of the Republic of Serbia

State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Stojanovic, assessed that the decision of the EU Council to abolish visas for holders of Serbian passports from Kosovo corrects an injustice, and represents a victory for the human rights and standards of Serbs from Kosovo. Stojanovic adds that this decision is the result of the engagement of the Republic of Serbia's authorities.

"Today, we have good news and a good decision from the EU Council regarding the rights of our citizens from the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, specifically holders of passports issued by the Coordination Directorate for Kosovo and Metohija, to travel without visas in the Schengen zone on the territory of the EU," Stojanovic said for Kosovo Online.

As he emphasized, this is primarily good news because, until now, there was a group of Serbian citizens who were discriminated against and, during the previous period, did not have the right to travel across the EU without visas.

"Today, this injustice has been corrected, and this decision achieves a kind of victory for the human rights and standards of Serbs from the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. It is important to say that all these passports comply with EU rules and standards, are biometric, and as such, are aligned with EU requirements," Stojanovic said, emphasizing that this decision is the result of the engagement of the Republic of Serbia's authorities.

What is most important, he said, is that from the moment this decision comes into effect in August, holders of Serbian passports from the territory of Kosovo will have the right to experience the freedom of travel across the EU in their daily lives.

This, he noted, "will facilitate communication, travel, and exchanges with citizens of other EU countries."

Stojanovic stressed that this decision is a collective decision of all the highest EU institutions.

"On one hand, the European Commission initiated it, then the European Parliament, which, with a majority of more than 400 deputies, confirmed this right for our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, and finally, the European Council, composed of representatives of all EU member states, granted our citizens the right to travel across Europe," Stojanovic stated.