On Wednesday 6 July, MEPs called for urgent visa liberalisation for citizens of Kosovo, the only Western Balkan country whose citizens do not benefit from this liberalisation.
“Further delay undermines the EU’s credibility and reputation as a reliable partner and serious geopolitical actor”, says the report by Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany) adopted by the European Parliament (469 votes in favour, 96 against and 72 abstentions).
MEPs also note Kosovo’s intention to apply for EU membership this year, recalling that all countries aspiring to become Member States will be judged on “their own capacity to meet, implement and respect all common European criteria and values”.
MEPs welcome Kosovo’s continued commitment to pursuing EU-related reforms. They call on the government to take advantage of its stable majority to urgently carry out the necessary reforms. “This is of the utmost importance to ensure the irreversible political independence and integrity of the judiciary and to improve the accountability and transparency of Kosovo’s judicial system”, the European Parliament warns. It also encourages the country to continue to improve its record on fighting high-level corruption and organised crime, to fully investigate all possible links to political power and to intensify its public administration reforms.
Calling for the good faith and timely implementation of the agreements between Belgrade and Pristina, including the association/community of Serb-majority municipalities, the European Parliament further encourages the Kosovo authorities to refocus on dialogue, moving forward in this process and achieving its objectives.
Once again, the European Parliaments calls on the five EU Member States that have not yet recognised Kosovo to do so and to reaffirm Kosovo’s European perspective.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/2i8 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)