The Council of the European Union Monday adopted a regulation eradicating the exclusion beforehand utilized to holders of Serbian passports in Kosovo issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.
The regulation takes impact after it’s revealed within the EU Official Journal.
Ethnic Serbs with passports issued by Serbia’s Directorate for Kosovo can now cross the exterior borders of EU member states with no visa.
The Serbian overseas minister in an announcement on X welcomed the choice, describing it as a small however vital victory for Serb human rights in Kosovo.
However, Kosovo’s authorities objected to the council’s determination, arguing that recognizing paperwork issued by Serbian-run “parallel” establishments would violate Kosovo’s sovereignty and discourage Serbian group integration.
About 18,000 Serbian residents of Kosovo who maintain these passports can journey visa-free to the European Union.
This transfer ensures that every one Western Balkan residents are topic to the identical visa regime.
Serbian residents with biometric passports have been exempted from visa necessities since 2009. However, the regime didn’t apply to passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate for Kosovo in Belgrade. The EU Commission proposed the change in 2023.
Meanwhile, Kosovo residents have been capable of journey visa-free by the passport-free Schengen zone since January 2024, however this doesn’t apply to these whose passports are issued by Serbia’s directorate for Kosovo.
Source: www.anews.com.tr