The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called for rapid visa liberalisation for Kosovars on Thursday 30 January.
“Kosovo has met, from a technical standpoint, all the conditions and it is high time to act”, he said at a press briefing with Kosovar President Hashim Thaçi in Pristina, while recalling that the decision was up to the Member States. “I know that the visa issue is very sensitive”, he added, responding to Mr Thaçi's criticism. According to the latter, “the EU made a strategic mistake” by not granting this liberalisation. “This is unfair, it prevents Kosovo's European future”, he said.
Mr Borrell also called for the formation of a government “as soon as possible”, which Mr Thaçi said would take place soon (see EUROPE 12344/12).
The High Representative and the President also discussed the dialogue with Serbia, which is currently on hold. The former recalled that the EU was facilitating the dialogue, but that problems had to be solved by Pristina and Belgrade. While the US has negotiated agreements for the resumption of air and rail traffic between the two countries, Mr Thaci called on the EU to take a united stance and cooperate with the US on resolving the conflict. Mr Borrell, while noting that he was working with the United States, stressed that while Washington had a plan for the region, the EU had invested more than one billion euros in Kosovo.
During his visit, the High Representative also launched a major EU-funded project to improve the environmental performance of the ‘Kosovo B’ thermal power plant, the country's largest electricity producer. The EU will provide 76.4 million euros for the filters of this lignite power plant through the pre-accession instrument. According to the Commission, the project will reduce harmful dust emissions by 35 times and nitrogen oxide emissions by four times. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)