The visa-free regime between Kosovo and the European Union will come into force on January 1, 2024, said Anita Hipper, a representative of the European Commission. The European Parliament earlier this week supported this initiative. Kosovo’s independence is not recognized by five EU states: Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania.
“The European Commission welcomes the agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the EU Council on this proposal of the European Commission,” Ms Hipper told reporters (quoted from TASS). She said residents of Kosovo would be able to visit the EU visa-free “for up to 90 days in any period of 180 days.”
The procedure for establishing a visa-free regime was launched back in 2012, when Kosovo received an appropriate “road map” from Brussels. By that time, all the Balkan countries already enjoyed such a privilege.
In March, the European Union promised partially recognized Kosovo and Serbia, which considers the territory of the republic its own, to hold a donor conference within 150 days to form a package of financial assistance to countries. However, countries will receive money only if they fulfill all the points of the agreement on the normalization of relations.
About the visa-free regime for Kosovo – in the material “Kommersant” “Kosovo rushed to Europe.”
