42 Members of the European Parliament have demanded French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to vote in favor of liberalizing Schengen area visas for Kosovo citizens within 2020.
In their letter, published by MEP Andrey Kovatchev, they note that Kosovo has met all requirements for visa liberalization since July 2018, and the EU has not kept its promise.
The unfair blocking of visa liberalization for Kosovo has harmed the EU credibility, they added. This becomes clearer at a time when the EU is trying to broker a deal between Kosovo and Serbia, while Kosovo is the only country in the region whose citizens can not travel freely in Europe. This puts into question the EU’s honesty in mediating a Kosovo-Serbia deal.
“The more we delay the positive decision to the matter, the faster we lose our credibility in the country and the region as a whole. It would be harder to demand reforms and structural changes in the Western Balkan countries if we cannot ensure that they will be able to enjoy more rights and freedoms, as our closest neighbors, partners and allies.”
The former Kosovo minister on European affairs had stated that France and the Netherlands are blocking visa liberalization for Kosovo.
A similar request was sent earlier to German Chancellor Angela Merkel by 33 MEPs.
