French President Emmanuel Macron called on authorities of Kosovo and Serbia to take responsibility for reducing recent tensions and has also threatened to impose restrictions.
According to AFP, the French international news agency, President Emmanuel Macron has ‘threatened Kosovo with visa liberalisation suspension’ if the authorities fail to keep their promises.
In a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Albania, Macron said that he expected the two countries to commit to reaching an agreement as it is crucial for their respective European aspirations.
I say this with great clarity, we have made a gesture of confidence on the issue of visas. As far as France is concerned, it is suspended from respecting the word given, and the word today is not kept. I am waiting for a real commitment from these two authorities to move forward in the coming weeks. This is the very condition for peace throughout the region.
The comments followed after President Macron was asked about his opinion on the position that the Serb President held after the terrorist attack that occurred in the north of Kosovo, to which Macron responded that it is the responsibility of President Vucic to condemn the act that left one police officer and three attackers dead.
He further went on to say that the requirements for Kosovar and Serb authorities include three main ones: the reorganisation of elections in the municipalities (in northern Kosovo) where they were held in inappropriate conditions. The participation of Serbs in these elections and in the Institutions, the recognition of the Association of Serbian Municipalities on behalf of the Kosovar authorities.
SchengenVisaInfo.com has contacted the French Embassy in Kosovo and the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs for further comments on the matter but has received no answer yet.
On the other hand, the President’s Press Office clarified that the matter of visa liberalisation for Kosovo remains open. The same source explained that the comments made during a press conference in Albania, were referring to tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, as well as latter’s sanctions, which have led French President to consider the matter of visa liberalisation as an open cause.
While the French President has threatened visa liberalisation for Kosovars, the German Embassy has confirmed that citizens of Kosovo will be able to travel visa-free to the Schengen Area as of next year.
After almost 14 years of Kosovo starting its visa liberalisation process, the 1.7 million nation finally received a positive response from the EU Parliament this April, enabling Kosovar nationals to travel to the Schengen Area. The free travel measure for Kosovar nationals is set to enter force on January 1, 2024.
Kosovar authorities have already begun their visa liberalisation campaign, informing citizens about travelling visa-free to the Schengen countries – a long-awaited milestone for this nation.
However, in the last year, the political tensions between Prishtina and Belgrade have been rising, especially after the terrorist attack by Serb nationals that occurred in the northern region of Kosovo, largely populated by Serbs.
