Sat, Nov 21 2009

Kosovo president proposes ‘mini-Schengen’ for the Balkans

Wed, Jun 24 2009 12:26 CET 1476 Views 7 Comments
Kosovo president proposes ‘mini-Schengen’ for the Balkans

Kosovo president Fatmir Sejdiu.

Albanian president Bamir Topi is hosting a meeting on June 24 2009 with his counterparts from Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo to discuss issues including a proposal by Kosovo head of state Fatmir Sejdiu for a "mini-Schengen visa" for Balkans countries.
 
Kosovo daily Zeri said quoted Sejdiu as saying that it was "very important" for his initiative for countries in the region to liberalise their visa systems and do away with "excessive formalities" for citizens crossing each others’ borders.
 
Montenegro president Filip Vujanovic and Macedonia’s president Gjorge Ivanov will meeting Sejdiu in talks after having not invited the Kosovo president to a recent meeting of heads of state from South Eastern Europe.
 
The agenda of the meeting includes bilateral relations among the countries, regional co-operation and prospects for development as part of a shared Euro-Atlantic vision for the countries of the Western Balkans.
 
"It is a good opportunity, even though these are informal meetings, to exchange our opinions, to stimulate co-operation and to contribute so that our countries can become important partners for inter-state cooperation, and at the same time move together toward our common
ambition – Euro-Atlantic integrations," Kosovo media quoted Sejdiu as having told journalists at Pristina Airport before his departure.

Earlier in June, European Union ministers recommended that the EU liberalise its Schengen visa system for citizens from Western Balkans countries that meet the criteria. Of the countries, only Macedonia is said to meet the criteria and likely to be first to benefit from an eased visa system.

Serbia has yet to meet all requirements, and a vexed issue has developed because of the question of Kosovo, which has declared itself independent, a move that Belgrade regards as illegitimate. Serbia has said it would issue passports for people in Kosovo, whom it officially continues to regard as Serbian citizens.

Comments

Anonymous gokhan Thu, Sep 10 2009 17:49 CET

This comment has been hidden by the moderator because it contained квалификации.

Anonymous Ghetto Kosovar Mon, Jul 20 2009 12:30 CET
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I want to emphasize that personally, I am going to receive the new biometric Serbian Passport (even though I am Albanian Kosovar).
As far as I know, EU does not have any legal base to exclude Albanian Kosovars holding Serbian Passports from process of visa liberalization,
In case if they will exclude Kosovar Albanian without a firm legal base -I am preparing necessary steps to present this issue in highest international courts and present an indictment towards EU commission for discrimination of human rights of same nationality by passport.

I am ready to collaborate with all International NGO and Medias to support my issue towards EU liberalization process Discrimination.

Best regards,
mailto:r_rimi@hotmail.com

Anonymous Peggy Sat, Jun 27 2009 03:55 CET
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Yeah Illyricum, I forgot you guys are the greatest power in that region.
I thought having all countries in EU was meant to unite Europe, why then fragmant it by every part having their own Schengen?

Anonymous Aristotle Thu, Jun 25 2009 13:45 CET
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Agree with Spela

Anonymous Spela Thu, Jun 25 2009 10:51 CET

This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .

Anonymous turbo Thu, Jun 25 2009 06:02 CET
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a very good idea..a bit too advanced for the Balkans..but still a good idea

Anonymous ILLYRICUM Wed, Jun 24 2009 21:58 CET
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because Albanians say so.

Anonymous Phil Gasser France Wed, Jun 24 2009 17:53 CET
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Why should Serbia, Macedonia or Montenegro form a "mini-Shengen" for their own citizens? It is a nonsense and the bad taste joke.

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