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"Life in Kosovo" debates visa liberalisation

28 01 2010  Life in Kosovo featured a debate on Kosovo’s visa liberalisation process and integration into European Union structures.

The main questions asked included: Is Kosovo the most isolated country in the world? How difficult is it for citizens with Kosovo passports to move freely? How should the political and technical criteria for entry onto the White Schengen list be prioritised in Kosovo? Is there a clear government policy to change the current situation on citizens’ freedom of movement?
 
To discuss these issues, and others related to the visa liberalisation process,

host Muhamet Hajrullahu was joined in the studio by the following guests:
 
Hajredin Kuçi, Kosovo’s deputy prime minister; 
Edita Tahiri, MP and chairperson of the Democratic Alternative of Kosovo (ADK)
Ardian Gjini, vice-chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK)
Luan Shllaku, executive director of the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS)
 
The debate started with Luan Shllaku, who was asked about the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society’s report entitled ‘Living in a Ghetto’. In this, Kosovo was listed as one of the most isolated country in the world, alongside Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

Mr Shllaku claimed that it is concerning that six months since the report’s publication, Kosovo’s citizens are still living in ghettoes. However, he qualified this by saying that Kosovo’s “situation has changed in many aspects; Brussels has a new strategy, and direct instructions on how Kosovo can begin the visa liberalisation process.”

People from Kosovo are paying the highest visa fees in the Balkans, and 37 % of their applications are refused, making Kosovo the most isolated country in Europe, according to Mr Shllaku.

Mr Shllaku also claimed that Kosovo is behind Afghanistan on visa liberalisation, as Kosovo’s citizens can travel to only four countries without visas, whereas Afghanistan’s can visit 22, and Somalia’s 25.

With a few of its neighbours entering visa-free European travel processes and the Schengen list, Kosovo remains the most isolated country in the region. On the other hand, it is the most liberal country for allowing visa-free entry, added Mr Shllaku.

While Mr Shllaku said that Kosovo has not changed, the government has been claiming that the visa free process has progressed, declaring 2010 as the “year of visa liberalisation”.

However, EU representatives say that between three and five years will be needed before Kosovo can fulfil the reforms needed for liberalisation. Therefore, Hajrullahu asked Deputy Prime Minister Kuçi what all this means for Kosovo.

“We have to admit that the claims in the ‘Living in a Ghetto’ report were realistic for Kosovo at that time, but things are slowly moving forward,” Mr Kuçi replied.

He went on to claim that the government has been limited on visa liberalisation as it was only in 2008 that Kosovo was able to establish diplomatic relations and that five EU countries have still not recognised the state’s independence. However, based on Kosovo’s 2009 progress report and related feasibility studies, it has been agreed that Kosovo has fresh prospects for European integration.

Further, in the meeting of EU Ministers last year, it was agreed to allow Kosovo to join negotiations on visa liberalisation, stability associations and other mechanisms, giving a green light to more rapid progress.

In response to Hajrullahu’s question on the expected timeframe for such progress, Mr Kuçi replied that “we must have in mind that the establishment of our country has been under different circumstances and that our political status is not recognised by all countries.”

While he claimed that the technical circumstances are not the only factor slowing Kosovo’s progress in the liberalisation process, Mr Kuçi believes that Kosovo cannot fulfil the numerous criteria at one time.

Mr Kuçi explained that there are four criteria, and highlighted that of identification documentation, such as biometric passports.

Hajrullahu asked whether Kosovo’s citizens could have been issued biometric passports earlier than they had been. Mr Kuçi responded that, whilst that is true, there is a larger budget for biometric passports this year, which will be issued in 2010.

Hajrulklahu then asked Ms Tahiri, a Kosovo MP and chairperson of the Democratic Alternative of Kosovo ADK, whether she is satisfied with the work of Kosovo’s ministries vis-à-vis the EU integration progress.

Ms Tahiri started by stating that she believes Kosovo is not at the required level for EU integration. As leader of the parliamentary committee on EU integration, she feels that there has been progress on some aspects, but not for others.

For instance, she claimed that the 2009 progress report was worse than the one for 2008, which is indicative that what progress there has been has not been in the right direction.

However, she said, with the government’s top priority as the rule of law, the implementation of appropriate laws must been seen in everyday life.

Mr Gjini, vice-chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo was asked whether he is satisfied with the government’s progress on visa liberalisation and EU integration.

His response was strongly negative, arguing that the hopes of Kosovo’s citizens will only expand to include a desire to travel freely around Europe after they are able to find jobs in their own country.

Connectedly, Gjini suggested, the countries involved in the free travel process will help Kosovo only when they can be sure that those visiting Europe will not abuse their opportunities to do so.

As part of Life in Kosovo, an interview with Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for enlargement, was broadcast.

In this, Mr Rehn clearly stated Kosovo’s position in the visa liberalisation process and the conditions which must be fulfilled in order to enter negotiations.

He stated that “Kosovo is part of this process, which has started now with those countries that meet the conditions for entrance – issuing biometric passports and integrating border control systems.

This will first materialise in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro, all of which meet the conditions, and will be followed by other countries later on.

In Kosovo, we have created a structural approach, which will facilitate visa liberalisation once Kosovo meets all the conditions.”

Furthermore, Mr Rehn noted that there is no specific timeframe set by the EU for Kosovo to meet the conditions, because they are more focused on quality rather than schedules.

After the interview, the Vice Prime Minister argued that reform must begin within Kosovo. He added that the government cannot change so many things in a year, but that they are working toward this process.

Ms Tahiri replied that the needs to increase efficiency and fighting corruption and organised crime are not being taken seriously.

Following the debate, journalist Petrit Kryeziu presented the ‘Justice in Kosovo’ report focusing on problems with judges and prosecutors.

He presented cases of dysfunctional trials in Kosovo, and explained to viewers that Kosovo’s justice system has been evaluated as the worst in the region.

Life in Kosovo is a co-production between Kosovo Public Television, RTK and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN. It is broadcast every Thursday, starting at 20:20.