An informational campaign on visa liberalization was carried out in North Mitrovica, a first in the north of Kosovo. A bilingual panel was set up on the promenade on the occasion, however, media and residents interested in learning more about visa liberalization from the representative of the Kosovo government who came to promote the good news were unable to do so, as he himself admitted, does not speak Serbian or English.
A van was parked at the end of the North Mitrovica promenade with the inscription „Visa liberalization for Kosovo,“ written in both Serbian and Albanian.
In front of the van, there are also two panels in these two languages, which are also the two official languages in Kosovo.
It was announced that as of January 1, 2024, citizens from Kosovo will be able to travel without a visa to the Schengen area.
They also recalled the opportunities provided by visa liberalization, as well as procedures associated with travel to the EU.
Pamphlets containing identical content, in both languages, were then handed out to people passing by the van.
This was the only means by which residents of North Mitrovica, a Serb-majority town, were informed about the details of visa liberalization for those with Kosovo passports.
The representative of the Kosovo government, who led the campaign in this northern town, was unable to give us a statement in Serbian, arguing that he does not know the language well enough.
At the same time, he revealed that he does not speak English either. When the same campaign was carried out in Gracanica last month, near the van parked in the center of this town only an Albanian language panel was displayed.
The current mayor of the municipality of North Mitrovica, Erden Atić, paid a brief visit to the site where the campaign is being carried out.
The campaign was implemented with the support of the European Union.
After North Mitrovica, the van will head to Zvecan today. Tomorrow, the campaign will continue in Zubin Potok and Leposavic.
The European Parliament decided in the middle of April this year to end the visa regime for citizens of Kosovo starting from January 1, 2024.
Visa-free travel will be possible for short stays, mainly for tourism purposes, for the purpose of visiting friends or family, attending cultural or sports events, business meetings, for treatment, as well as for short-term educational programs such as seminars, conferences, workshops, summer schools, and similar activities. Visa liberalization does not cover travel for the purposes of employment, education, or studies.
Visa-free stay in the Schengen area is possible for 90 days in any 180-day period.
Required documents:
Biometric passports (valid for at least three months from the day of leaving the Schengen area); proof of purpose of travel, proof of stay, such as hotel booking or details of where you will be staying, travel details, including return ticket booking, if traveling by car, necessary car documentation and proof of required financial resources.
With a valid Kosovo biometric passport, it will be possible to travel to EU countries without a visa starting from the New Year. Nevertheless, the visa-free regime will not apply to Spain, even though it is a member of the EU, because this country does not recognize Kosovo’s independence.
Visa liberalization also includes countries that are not members of the EU, but are part of the Schengen area – Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
