Stosic: Good decision of the European Parliament Committee on visa liberalization for Serbs from Kosovo

The program manager of the Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture (ACDC) evaluated the proposal of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) to abolish visas for passport holders issued by the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs' Coordination Directorate as a good decision and a step forward towards further dialogue.

"The decision to allow the Coordination Directorate's passport to enter the visa-free regime is a very good one, as citizens who held these travel documents were the only community unable to travel freely across Europe. I think it's a good step forward for all those who have problems obtaining other documents," Stosic stated.

He reminded that there is a significant number of members of the Serbian community who still cannot obtain Kosovo documents.

"In this way, they are discriminated against because they can only get passports from the Coordination Directorate, and with them, they could not travel. So, I think it is a good decision and a step towards further dialogue," Stosic concludes.

The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has adopted a decision on visa liberalization for passports issued by the Coordination Directorate. At the Committee's session, 34 members voted in favor, seven against, and 12 were abstaining.

The next procedural step is the adoption at the EP's plenary session in Strasbourg from April 22 to 25. After that, the proposal should be formally confirmed by the EU Council.

The EP rapporteur for the abolition of visas for Serbs from Kosovo, Matjaz Nemec, stated that this decision means equal treatment for all citizens of the Western Balkans, and now at least 18,000 people will be included in the visa liberalization.

When asked whether he believes the decision will be confirmed at the EP session in Strasbourg (from April 22 to 25), Nemec points out that the only agenda he represents is that the EU has the same treatment for all people from the Western Balkans.

"It's not for us to take sides, but to find a solution to the problem. Therefore, this is a positive message for us, not only for people who are not in a position to travel but it shows that European institutions can solve these issues," Nemec stated.