Viola von Cramon, European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo, has again called on the Council of the European Union to finalize the process of visa liberalization with Kosovo.
Her comments came during a discussion in the European Union Foreign Affairs Committee on the draft report of the European Parliament for Kosovo, though she emphasized that Kosovo citizens should have equal access to the borderless region of Europe, reports SchengenVisaInfo.com.
"This has been sitting on the Council desk for more than two years now, and the people of Kosovo are frustrated, rightly so," said von Cramon.
She urged the Council to offer a straightforward and definite timetable and to explain that this is about keeping a commitment in the area, and to 'get a green light for the decision as soon as possible.'
Von Cramon also said that Kosovo is being watched by the EP and that it is committed to helping the country "on its European path."
"The Rapporteur to the European Parliament for Kosovo also referred to the domestic political and economic problems that Kosovo faces on a daily basis, stressing that the country's situation "was not straightforward and not easy.
"I also see that people are losing hope in Kosovo. They have lost confidence in their leaders and sometimes in the European Union as well. Things are not as bleak as it may seem, though,” she emphasized.
Von Cramon also referred to the continuation of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in Brussels, which she believes should be taken into account as a positive development between the two countries.
Just today, as part of the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, another round of meetings is taking place in Brussels. In these complicated talks, things always go really slow, but they are happening, and this can give us hope,' she said.
Last month, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti of Kosovo held a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France, which boosted the expectations of the people of Kosovo that the protracted process of visa liberalisation could soon be completed.
President Macron, as well as Prime Minister Hoti, addressed many topics during the video conference, including the issue of visa liberalisation.
In October, however, the French authorities stressed that they do not completely believe that Kosovo meets all the requirements needed to finalize its liberalization process, adding that this process would not be finalized in the course of the year.
In July, Viola von Cramon referred to President Emanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands as responsible for the slow process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo.
Kosovo has been trying to reach a visa liberalization deal with the European Union for a long time, so that its citizens are able to travel freely within the EU. Such a process began on 19 February 2021 and, despite the fact that the EU stated on 18 July 2018 that Kosovo had met the last two visa liberalisation requirements, the process has not yet been completed.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.