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| Serbian passports |
The European Commission, considering the visa-free travel for citizens of Kosovo, has proposed the removal of visas for holders of passports from the Republic of Serbia residing in the territory of Kosovo, REL reports.
To include passport holders issued by a special office in Belgrade (the coordinating office), the Commission has proposed an amendment to the decision on visa liberalization for Serbia.
Serbs in Kosovo have the right to the Serbian passport, which received visa liberalization in 2009. However, at the request of the EU, Serbia had to establish a Coordinating Administration for issuing passports to those with addresses in Kosovo. In April of this year, the EC emphasized that the visa liberalization approved for Kosovo applies only to Kosovo passport holders and not to citizens with passports from the Coordinating Administration, which operates under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia.
At that time, concerns were raised about the risk of massive migration and certain security issues.
In its proposal, the European Commission argues that there are no longer reasons for which holders of passports from the Republic of Serbia residing in Kosovo should not have the opportunity to travel without visas, unlike Serbian citizens residing in Serbia.
As of January 1, 2024, citizens of Kosovo are expected to travel without visas to 27 EU countries, comprising the so-called Schengen area.
Once visa liberalization for holders of biometric passports from the Republic of Kosovo comes into effect, holders of Serbian passports residing in Kosovo would be the only ones without the possibility of visa-free movement.
The Commission has put forth this proposal, and now the decision must be taken by the Council in cooperation with the European Parliament. The European Commission, in its proposal, emphasized that the current situation regarding holders of passports issued by the coordinating office in Belgrade has been discussed with the authorities of both Serbia and Kosovo.
"On November 16, the European Commission approved the proposal for all citizens of the Western Balkans to move without visas in the EU. This is also proposed for holders of passports issued by the Coordinating Directorate in Belgrade. Now the decision is in the hands of the Council and the European Parliament," said the spokesperson for the European Commission for internal affairs and human rights, Kristijan Viegand.