NGO AKTIV: Open letter to the Serbian MPs in Kosovo Assembly and to the public

"We invite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Kosovo Government and Special Representatives of the EU in both Serbia and Kosovo to insist on the parallel process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo passports and passports issued to the citizens of Serbia residing in Kosovo," says NGO Aktiv in an open letter to the Serbian MPs in Kosovo Assembly and to the public.

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Ahead of tomorrow’s visit of the High Representative of the European Union Foregin Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini in relation to the recommendation of European Commission for the visa liberalisation for Kosovo, we urge Serbian representatives in Kosovo institutions to regard the rights to multiple citizenship and address the issue of visa liberalisation for the passports issued to Serbian citizens living in Kosovo.

As the public is well-aware, since 2009, Serbian citizens in Kosovo possess Serbian passports issued by Coordination Administration which are under the obligation of visa issuance. The justification for such a limiting approach to Serbian citizens in Kosovo, was the prevention of illegal immigration. Should today’s recommendation of the European Commission be adopted, it will become clear that the relevant institutions in EU assess that there no longer exists the threat of illegal immigration. Consequently, there are no more obstacles presented in the agreement of 2009.

Kosovo Serbs are faced with numerous administrative obstacles in the realisation of their rights to personal documents. This is why the exception of the Serbian passports from the visa liberalisation can bring about the reality in which Kosovo Serbs will be the only group in Western Balkans to be subject to the rigorous procedures of visa issuance. Such a scenario would be discriminatory towards Kosovo Serbs.

Due to the aforementioned, we invite the Serbian representatives in Kosovo Assembly to put this issue on the agenda of the relevant institutions. Furthermore, we invite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Kosovo Government and Special Representatives of the EU in both Serbia and Kosovo to insist on the parallel process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo passports and passports issued to the citizens of Serbia residing in Kosovo. This is the only approach that can assure the equal treatment of all the citizens in Kosovo and that can, in accordance with the spirit of the decision about the visa liberalisation for Kosovo ensure the implementation of the freedom of Movement principle.

NGO AKTIV