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Sat, Nov 21 2009
Schengen deal for Serbia will not include Kosovo
When the European Commission signalled that it was prepared to include Serbia among countries that would no longer need Schengen visas, the move was welcomed in Belgrade but immediately the question was raised – what about Kosovo?
Kosovo unilaterally declared itself independent of Serbia in February 2008. Pristina issues its own passports, regarding itself no longer within Serbia’s jurisdiction.
On July 6 2009, Serbian paper Danas said that July 6 said that no Kosovo citizen, regardless
of ethnicity, would be able to have a valid Serbian biometric passport.
According to Danas, the EC would allow visa liberalisation only for those whose place of residence was within Serbia.
A day later, Serbian news agency Beta reported from Brussels that the EC, at a meeting in Strasbourg on July 14, would approve a proposal to no longer require Schengen visa applications from citizens of Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. This proposal is to be forwarded to the EU Council of Ministers and to the European Parliament.
But Kosovo would not be included in the proposal, Beta said.
"All Serbian citizens, with the exception of those from Kosovo, are expected to be able to travel to the EU free of visas as of January 1 2010," according to the agency.
Serbian citizens living in Kosovo - Albanians, Serbs, Roma and others, will be able to obtain Serbian biometric passports, but will have to get European visas in order to enter the Schengen area.
Kosovo unilaterally declared itself independent of Serbia in February 2008. Pristina issues its own passports, regarding itself no longer within Serbia’s jurisdiction.
On July 6 2009, Serbian paper Danas said that July 6 said that no Kosovo citizen, regardless
of ethnicity, would be able to have a valid Serbian biometric passport.
According to Danas, the EC would allow visa liberalisation only for those whose place of residence was within Serbia.
A day later, Serbian news agency Beta reported from Brussels that the EC, at a meeting in Strasbourg on July 14, would approve a proposal to no longer require Schengen visa applications from citizens of Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. This proposal is to be forwarded to the EU Council of Ministers and to the European Parliament.
But Kosovo would not be included in the proposal, Beta said.
"All Serbian citizens, with the exception of those from Kosovo, are expected to be able to travel to the EU free of visas as of January 1 2010," according to the agency.
Serbian citizens living in Kosovo - Albanians, Serbs, Roma and others, will be able to obtain Serbian biometric passports, but will have to get European visas in order to enter the Schengen area.
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What this actually does is exclude "the Republic of Kosovo" further from the EU and international community.
Someday Kosovo will be begging to re-join Serbia when it cannot get into the EU when its membership aspirations are vetoed by those EU member states that don't recognize it...
This comment has been hidden by the moderator because it contained квалификации.
Karma, there is only one reason why there are hardly any Serbs left if Kosovo and that is ETHINIC CLEANSING.
Serbia has a duty to all her citizens including the Serbs in Kosovo, so they do need to stay in the picture and be concerned about them. Unfortunately Tadic and Co. don't seem to care what happens to Serbs there.
Until they get a new government in Serbia, Serbs and other minorities in Kosovo will continue to suffer behind barbed wire and afraid for their lives. NATO will need to keep escorting them to schools and churches.
Imagine having to escort to school. That means that Albanians are a threat to even the children of non Albanians. Disgusting behaviour.
Kosovo is not independent. It is being administered by UN. It is only US colony and nothing more.
I'm sorry did I happen to miss something in the last year or if my memory serves me well Kosovo declared their independence from Serbia? Also if my English serves me right is the definition of independence not:
1. the state or quality of being independent.
2. freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.
I would like to stress the SUPPORT & AID...
Peggy... there are no more Serbs left in Kosovo!
They are now free to do what they want and I don't see why Serbia needs to be associated with them any further except for the remains of 1,200 Orthodox churches destroyed by them dating back to the 11th Century. Unfortunately some people do not respect history and monuments. This is a crime in my eyes. Oh and as Carla Ponte stressed out in her book, children and organ trafficking that's been going on there as well.
Need not more say!
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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
europeans have used discrimination against albanians since 1998. everything done to serbia has been because of the fact europe wants to see zero new albanians in its own cities. in this strange way the dislike of europe toward albanians has helped them thus far in giving /keeping them in kosovo/balkans u will not see turkey albania or kosovo as a part of europe anytime soon
Serbs live in Kosovo since 7th century, and whole territory of today Kosovo was included in Serbian estate since 13th century, northern parts even earlier. The province was formed after World War 2 under communist rule, thats when most of the Albanians have moved there. They moved from Albania which was under dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. Rest of them moved before, during Turkish occupation of Serbia. You can check CIA World Factbook for those facts. Serbs accepted them, helped them, and lived with them as neighbors, until Albanians turned their back.
I don't see any reason for Serbs to accept this discriminatory arrangement. Especially because 200000 Serbs were expelled from the province after the war, and many were murdered.
This is bad day for Serbia, and especially bad day for people of its Kosovo and Metohia province.
Hope European commission wont include those discriminatory conditions.
Not respecting internationally verified borders, is not good move from European commission. A part from the contract should include Kosovo and Metohia. It wont be fine to apply discriminatory policy.
Not sure weather Serbia should accept this or not if Kosovo and Metohia is not included, but the only reason I see for this would be that Serbia has no administrative control over province and its borders with Macedonia and Albania since '99.
Serbia wont by any means recognize self-proclaimed republic by accepting liberalization.
Only one that losses are people of Kosovo and Metohia.
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By Serbian claiming that Kosovo is not included in the Shengan offer, they are also recognizing Kosovos as separate from Serbia. It would be like Bulgaria saying that a rule applies to everyone except those living in Veliko Turnovo. So in a sense, this is a victory for those in Kosovo.
this is a reply to peggy who claims that this is discrimination and that "kosova is a part of serbia."
it is time that you start to realize that you have been believing a lie that kosovo is a part of serbia. this is not discrimination because the citizens of kosova have no relation with serbia. bud don't u worry, kosova will get its turn on the schengen deal too. ;)
"Serbia should not accept this. Kosovo is part of Serbia and no Serbian citizen should be d
discriminated against."
Servia will accept this, they have no choice. Kosova je Albanski; Siberia je Srbja
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
We kosovars deserve freedom and we got that now. We have been through so much from serbia. What do they want from us, blv me Kosovo will never be theirs and first of all Kosovo was never theirs. Now everybody knows that and serbians should accept that. We are proud of our country and having now our own Passports is amazing
interesting ...when certain countries need every single tourist dollar available...new frontiers are opened to business..as i stated once before cypress, spain even black sea coast of romania have great destinations.....keep the money in the fam my peeeps!!! :))
This is discrimination. I thought Europe was not discriminating but look at this.
Serbia should not accept this. Kosovo is part of Serbia and no Serbian citizen should be discriminated against.