Brussels, 19/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - European Internal Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström was in Pristina on Thursday 19 January to launch visa liberalisation dialogue to lift the visa obligation for citizens of Kosovo. The EU granted such a scheme to Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Montenegro in 2009, and then to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania in 2010. While in Pristina, the commissioner met Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, and other officials.
Visa liberalisation dialogue was able to begin after the Commission noted in a report last October that Pristina had implemented substantial reforms in key areas, and shown its resolve to strengthen rule of law in Kosovo. It does not, however, prejudge the Council's decision, as the Commission has not yet called for an official mandate to negotiate a liberalisation agreement but has simply launched preliminary discussion. The Council may experience one difficulty in that a number of member states, like Spain, still do not recognise the state of Kosovo. Dialogue is also possible as, last December, member states at the Council of European home affairs ministers supported the Commission's proposal to establish a safeguard clause suspending liberalisation regimes for the countries that were the cause of abuse in asylum requests. The clause, which was initially requested by France and the Netherlands, is firmly supported by Belgium which has suggested that it may, after final adoption by the EP, call for the clause to be activated against the nationals of the Balkans. (SP/transl.jl)