The Law on Foreigners begins to be implemented with easing measures

Lutfiu: Kosovo Government's decision on illegals, loss of hope for Albanians in Serbia

Nevzad Lutfiu, former chairman of the Albanian National Council in Serbia, has said that the Kosovo Government's concessions to Serbs working in parallel institutions in Kosovo are a loss of hope for Albanians in Serbia.

In a Facebook post, Lutfiu said that the Kosovo Government's decision on Saturday was inappropriate. He said that only reciprocity could stop the discrimination that Serbia is making against the Albanians of the Presevo Valley.

"I consider the decision of the Kosovo Government to recognize documents issued by parallel Serbian structures in Kosovo to be an inappropriate action. Serbia has not recognized diplomas issued by Kosovo universities for over a decade, which means that over 10 generations of professionals have migrated from our country as a result of this action. I have been a great supporter of the Prime Minister's cause regarding reciprocity and I believe that only such a cause stops Serbia's discrimination against Albanians of the Presevo Valley. Turning away from this cause would mean a loss of hope for Albanians in Serbia," he wrote on Facebook.

Ragmi Mustafi, the Prime Minister's political advisor for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, reacted to him in the comments.

"It is not true that the Kosovo Government has a decision to recognize documents issued by parallel Serbian structures in Kosovo. It has even openly eradicated them," Mustafi wrote.

On Saturday, the Kosovo government agreed that, starting from Sunday, the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles will begin with facilities for Serbs working in parallel institutions or studying at the university in the north. At the request of the European Union, which sent its special envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo on this issue, Kosovo agreed to issue 12-month residence permits to Serbian students who do not have Kosovo documents and to accept identification documents issued by illegal structures for an additional three months. The decision prompted a reaction from the opposition, but was welcomed by ambassadors accredited to Kosovo.

OVL-UCK: Kurti is making the compromises for which he accused others of treason

Photo-illustration: TIME

The Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Organization has called it political hypocrisy on the part of Prime Minister Albin Kurti for agreeing that the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles should begin with facilities for Serbs who work in parallel institutions or study at the university in the north.

In a press release, the OVL-UÇK described this decision as a "serious political and moral scandal."

"The Kosovo Liberation Army Veterans Organization reacts harshly to the political hypocrisy of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who for years has built his career on patriotic rhetoric, while today it is being confirmed again that behind the scenes he has negotiated new spaces for illegal Serbian structures within the state of Kosovo. It is a serious political and moral scandal that Kurti declares before the citizens and the world that the parallel structures of Serbia have been abolished, while in reality he is creating mechanisms that give them a role in implementing the laws of the Republic of Kosovo. This is not state-building policy, but pure deception towards the citizens and towards our state itself," the reaction states.

OVL-UCK has said that the Kurti Government is making the compromises for which it has accused others of national treason.

"The Kurti government is constantly reconfirming that all its rhetoric about "sovereignty" and "defense of the state" has been nothing but propaganda for political consumption. In practice, this government has isolated Kosovo from its main allies and is now ending up making the very compromises for which it has accused others of national treason for years," the reaction further states.

The veterans have said that they will not remain silent "in the face of the Kurti Government's policies that relativize the sacrifice of the liberation war and that open the door to Serbia's influence within Kosovo's institutions."

"The state of Kosovo is not the property of any government and we will not allow it to be used as a propaganda instrument for power. Kosovo was built on the blood of KLA martyrs and not on behind-the-scenes political bargaining. Any attempt to violate this sacrifice will be met with the reaction of KLA veterans and all those who consider this state to be a legacy of the liberation war," the reaction states.

On Saturday morning, the Government agreed that, starting from Sunday, the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles will begin with facilities for Serbs working in parallel institutions or studying at the university in the north. At the request of the European Union, which sent the special envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo on this issue, Kosovo agreed to issue 12-month residence permits to Serbian students who do not have Kosovo documents and to accept identification documents issued by illegal structures for an additional three months. The decision prompted a reaction from the opposition, but was welcomed by ambassadors accredited to Kosovo.

Rama: EU should move forward with Kosovo's membership application

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has stated that Kosovo's coordination on the implementation of the Law on Foreigners should be followed by the progress of its application for membership in the European Union.

In an article in "X", Rama assessed that the EU must show courage and that the inclusion of the Balkans in the EU is a victory for Europe itself.

"We welcome Kosovo-EU coordination on the Law on Foreigners. Dismantling parallel structures is a difficult task. The EU must show courage and lift punitive measures and move forward with Kosovo's application for membership. A Western Balkans fully within the EU is not charity. It is a strategic victory for Europe itself," Rama wrote.

The government has agreed that, starting from Sunday, the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles will begin with facilities for Serbs working in parallel institutions or studying at the university in the north. At the request of the European Union, which sent the special envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo on this issue, Kosovo agreed to issue 12-month residence permits to Serbian students who do not have Kosovo documents and to accept identification documents issued by illegal structures for an additional three months. The decision prompted a reaction from the opposition, but was welcomed by ambassadors accredited to Kosovo.

Kurti gives up on illegal immigrants

Photo: Archive

A day before the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, as well as the Law on Vehicles, began, the European Union (EU) sent the special representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Pristina, and he did not return to Brussels empty-handed.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Saturday morning, he expressed a request that the implementation of the two laws not be immediate but gradual, and not to interrupt health and education services for local Serbs. These services are provided in illegal institutions that Serbia maintains in Kosovo.

After meeting with Kurti and the head of the EU office in Pristina, Aivo Orav, Sorensen asked for concessions for Serbs.

"We consider it a key priority that the Government of Kosovo provide residence permits to the workers and students involved for an initial period of 12 months, in order to prevent any disruption of health and education services. To ensure that services are not interrupted, we have asked Kosovo to allow the use of identity cards issued no later than March 15, 2026 by Serbia for those living in Kosovo, as a means of identification for administrative processes," said Sorensen, at the joint press conference with Prime Minister Kurti and Ambassador Orav.

The Law on Foreigners stipulates that all persons who do not possess Kosovo documents must be issued with a residence permit, while vehicles with foreign license plates will not be able to circulate in Kosovo for more than three months, unless they have the appropriate authorization.

However, after Saturday's meeting, it was decided that these rules will not immediately apply to Kosovo Serbs without Kosovo documents. They will be able to obtain temporary residence permits for up to 12 months, and use ID cards issued by parallel structures in the country as identification documents.

The first to announce this was Orav.

"We discussed the implementation, which will start tomorrow. We have had intensive talks with the Government of Kosovo over the past few weeks. And today there is an agreement on the implementation of the law on foreigners with additional essential steps, first of all regarding the registration process of Kosovo Serbs and temporary residence permits," he said.

Prime Minister Kurti provided details about the concessions made, which he referred to as "conveniences".

He explained that the Government will be provided by the local heads of Serb-majority municipalities with lists of healthcare and academic staff who are engaged in Kosovo, and then the Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide them with temporary permits.

"I want to emphasize that it is not in the interest of the Republic of Kosovo that the implementation of the law on foreigners and the law on vehicles creates obstacles in the provision of basic services to citizens. But I also want to strongly emphasize that the position of the Republic of Kosovo is the same, that in Kosovo there should not and cannot be illegal mechanisms that are maintained and financed by an unfriendly state that does not recognize the Republic of Kosovo," Kurti said.

He also provided details of the facilities created.

"The government will be provided by local leaders with lists of health and academic staff who are engaged in providing these services. The list will serve as the basis for issuing temporary residence permits to foreign citizens who apply to the Ministry of Interior. The same applies to foreign students staying in Kosovo, for whom municipal leaders will provide the full list", he said. "The Government of the Republic of Kosovo will also open a new 3-month window to enable citizens of Serbian nationality to register civil facts, which until March 15, 2026 were registered by illegal structures. During this period, applicants will also be allowed to use, exclusively as a means of identification, the ID card issued by illegal structures".

Kurti said that students who apply will be offered a temporary residence permit for 12 months, with the possibility of extension. For workers in educational and health institutions, he stressed that the respective ministries, in coordination with Sorensen, will determine the procedures and deadlines for incorporation or licensing.

Kurti announced that, along with the facilitations, the commitment to integrate the two parallel Serbian systems within the legal framework of Kosovo will continue.

March 16 is the date when the implementation of two laws has been announced, which also affect Serbs who have refused to obey Kosovo's constitutional system.

Accusations of the opposition

The main political entities in the opposition have criticized Kurti for the concession made.

A statement from the Democratic Party expressed concern about this, as it was considered that this action "directly violates the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo."

"With his recent decisions, Kurti has made two serious concessions: he has allowed the functioning of illegal Serbian institutions within the territory of Kosovo and he has legitimized the documents that Serbia illegally issues to the citizens of Kosovo. By accepting them, he has made illegal Serbian structures participants in the implementation of the legislation of the state of Kosovo," the PDK's reaction states. "For years, Kurti has been declaring that parallel Serbian structures no longer exist in Kosovo, while with his decisions he is publicly acknowledging their existence and creating conditions for their continued functioning."

The PDK's response emphasized that Kosovo's laws must be implemented fully and equally for everyone, and illegal structures operating outside the state system must be closed.

"These concessions are a continuation of the dangerous logic of the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Annex, accepted by Kurti without transparency and without institutional debate, which are already producing concrete consequences on the ground to the detriment of Kosovo's state interest," the reaction states, calling on the Government to immediately stop "harmful policies that are producing institutional confusion and strengthening Serbia's narrative towards Kosovo."

The MP of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Daut Haradinaj, has also reacted.

"After recognizing the illegal passports of parallel structures, today our prime minister said with a big mouth that we are opening another window for other illegal documents for Serbs," he said. "Until when with these games full of patriotism, but full of unconstitutional and illegal decisions. With Serbs and parallel structures excellent cooperation, and with Albanians of this country blockade and chaos."

The praises of ambassadors

Unlike the opposition, ambassadors accredited in Pristina have welcomed the Government's decision.

Germany's, Reiner Rudolph, described as important the fact that Kosovo reached an agreement on how to implement laws, without interrupting the health and education services that are provided by parallel institutions in Serb-majority municipalities.

"It is good to see an agreement on how to implement Kosovo's Laws on Foreigners and Vehicles. Securing residence and work permits for workers and students, avoiding disruption of health and education services, as well as practical solutions for issuing documents to all citizens of Kosovo are important," Ambassador Rudolph said in his reaction.

And the French ambassador, Olivier Guerot, said that this solution is the result of the Government's goodwill and the EU's commitment.

"The goodwill of all parties has made it possible to find concrete solutions. It is essential that the actions taken do not have a negative impact on the living conditions of the Kosovo Serb community. I commend the proactive and very positive role of the European Union", stressed Ambassador Guerot.

The decision was also welcomed by the head of the OSCE in Kosovo, Gerard McGurk.

"We welcome the agreement on the future implementation of the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles – an important step forward in addressing a practical issue that affects people's daily lives," he said.

Dilemmas in Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić welcomed the easing, but said there are no good solutions.

"There are no good and easy solutions, but this is a relief for them. A model has been reached. I know the technical details. Within seven to 10 days I will go to talk to our people in Raska," he said.

And the director of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, spoke in a triumphant tone. He said that this decision has enabled the normal and uninterrupted functioning of Serbian health and educational institutions.

"We avoided the worst-case scenario of the closure of Serbian institutions in Kosovo, because this was the main goal of implementing the Law on Foreigners, which Albin Kurti decided to implement after 13 years. We stopped the closure of our institutions, so that our people could continue to study, learn, receive health treatment and go to work," he said.

The law on foreigners was adopted in 2013, and the law on vehicles in 2017. Their implementation was announced for the end of last year, and then postponed to January. Kosovo authorities conducted an information campaign for several weeks during that period. After that, it was postponed again until March 15. And on the eve of this date, the Government's agreement on the facilities for Serbs was reached.

The border crossing in Jarinje reopens

After two hours of closure, the border crossing with Serbia in Jarinje has reopened.

For two hours, this road remained closed due to the protest announced for two hours on the territory of Serbia.

From what KOHA has learned, Serbian politician Aleksandar Arsenijevic, who is on the run and wanted by Kosovo authorities since weapons were found by Kosovo Police in one of his properties in Zvecan, was also present at the protest. 

The New Democratic Party had announced a protest against the decision of the Kosovo authorities to implement the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles.

A day earlier, the National Center for Border Management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens to plan their travels and avoid potential delays.

The KOHA team on the ground reported that no large crowd was seen at the protest.

However, on Saturday morning, the Kosovo Government agreed that, starting from Sunday, the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles will begin with ease. At the direct request of the European Union, which sent the special envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo for this issue, Kosovo agreed to issue 12-month residence permits to Serbian students who do not have Kosovo documents and to accept identification documents issued by illegal structures for another three months.

EU pleased with compromise on law enforcement for foreigners

Photo: Driton Pacharada

The agreement on the entry into force of the law on foreigners and the transitional period for certain categories of Serbs who will receive temporary residence permits in Kosovo has also been welcomed in Brussels. Moreover, this is considered by diplomats as evidence that with coordination and cooperation, solutions can be achieved that are favorable for all, so that on the one hand the laws of Kosovo are respected and on the other hand the consequences for a category of citizens are avoided.

This agreement has also been welcomed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announcing that she is ready to convene another high-level meeting within the framework of the dialogue.

"Today's agreement on civil registration and the Law on Foreigners marks an important step forward for the benefit of all people in Kosovo. It is essential to ensure continuity in the provision of public services. Thank you to everyone who engaged constructively to make this possible," said Kallas. "Moving forward, the implementation of past agreements remains vital. This progress creates new momentum for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and I look forward to organizing a high-level meeting soon," said the EU's chief diplomat, under whose authority the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is facilitated.

But some diplomatic sources in Brussels are not sure how ready the parties are to participate in a high-level meeting. Kosovo has now entered an unpredictable institutional situation again, while a tense political situation continues in Serbia. In these circumstances, they are not sure how ready Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić would be for a meeting between them within the framework of the dialogue.

The European Union, and especially High Representative Kaja Kallas, on the other hand, are under pressure to show any results within the dialogue, which has largely stagnated in the last two to three years.

Road in Jarinje closed, Serbs protest

The border crossing with Serbia, in Jarinje, has been closed to vehicles. The reason is a protest on the territory of Serbia, announced to start at 16:00 and which will last two hours. The protest is being organized against the decision of the Kosovo authorities to implement the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles.

A day earlier, the National Center for Border Management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens to plan their travels and avoid potential delays.

The protest is being organized by the opposition party in Serbia, the New Democratic Party. The day before, it announced a protest from Raška to Jarinje with the slogan "Serbs are not foreigners within their own country."

"On the occasion of the start of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, adopted by the provisional institutions in Pristina, which - according to this message - is directed against the Serbian people living in Kosovo, we invite everyone to a rally of support for all Serbs living in Kosovo! Now they need us more than ever!", the party's announcement reads. This entity has announced a two-hour traffic blockade at the Jarinje border crossing, starting at 12:44 p.m., as a reference to UN Resolution 1244 on Kosovo.

The KOHA team on the ground reported that no large crowd was seen at the protest.

However, on Saturday morning, the Kosovo Government agreed that, starting from Sunday, the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles will begin with ease. At the direct request of the European Union, which sent the special envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo for this issue, Kosovo agreed to issue 12-month residence permits to Serbian students who do not have Kosovo documents and to accept identification documents issued by illegal structures for another three months.

PDK: Kurti's compromises violate sovereignty, legitimize illegal structures

Bedri Hamza

Photo: Driton Pacharada

The Democratic Party of Kosovo has expressed concern about, as it has called, the recent compromises of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, referring to the Government's agreement to offer temporary facilities to Serbs who are not equipped with Kosovo state documents, within the framework of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles. 

For the PDK, this action "directly violates the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo."

"With his recent decisions, Kurti has made two serious concessions: he has allowed the functioning of illegal Serbian institutions within the territory of Kosovo and he has legitimized the documents that Serbia illegally issues to Kosovo citizens. By accepting them, he has made illegal Serbian structures participants in the implementation of the legislation of the state of Kosovo," the PDK's reaction states.

According to this party, these decisions show that Prime Minister Kurti has conducted negotiations away from the attention of public opinion, in a complete lack of transparency.

"For years, Kurti has been declaring that parallel Serbian structures no longer exist in Kosovo, while with his decisions he is publicly acknowledging their existence and creating conditions for their continued functioning."

PDK has emphasized that the laws of the Republic must be implemented fully and equally for everyone, and illegal structures operating outside the state system must be closed. 

"These concessions are a continuation of the dangerous logic of the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Annex, accepted by Kurti without transparency and without institutional debate, which are already producing concrete consequences on the ground to the detriment of Kosovo's state interest."

The Democratic Party of Kosovo has called on the Kurti Government to immediately stop "harmful policies that are producing institutional confusion and strengthening Serbia's narrative towards Kosovo."

 

Law on Foreigners, Vučić: Relief for Serbs, I will talk to them in Raška

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić expressed his satisfaction after the Kosovo Government agreed to provide temporary relief to members of the Serbian community who do not have Kosovo state documents, within the framework of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles. 

He said he had spoken with the Serbs of the Republic of Kosovo about this issue, while also announcing further discussions with them, Danas reported. 

"There are no good and easy solutions, but this is a relief for them. A model has been reached, I know the technical details. Within seven to 10 days I will go to talk to our people in Raska," he said. 

Meanwhile, Vučić has thanked the Europeans for their involvement.  
 

Petkovic confirms agreement: Serbs can breathe freely

The Director of the so-called Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, has said that the agreement between the European Union and the Government of Kosovo on the Law on Foreigners will enable the normal and uninterrupted functioning of Serbian health and educational institutions in Kosovo.

"I have called this extraordinary conference to announce that we have reached a solution that will enable the normal and smooth functioning of Serbian health and educational institutions in Kosovo. We have been working for this solution for days and weeks with the European Union," said Petkovic, praising the commitment of the EU Special Representative for the dialogue, Peter Sorensen.

He said that he has been in constant contact with Serbs on the ground and with employees of Serbian institutions, rectors, deans, hospital directors and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, "because this issue is not simply administrative or technical, but above all a question of the survival of Serbs in Kosovo."

"We avoided the worst-case scenario of the closure of Serbian institutions in Kosovo, because this was the main goal of implementing the Law on Foreigners, which Albin Kurti decided to implement after 13 years. We stopped the closure of our institutions, so that our people could continue to study, learn, receive health treatment and go to work. We saved the UCCK in Mitrovica, the health centers in Gracanica and Pasjane, all health centers, educational institutions, a university with ten faculties and an academy," said Petkovic.

He emphasized that this is very good and important news for Serbs in Kosovo.

"Serbs can breathe freely. Monday will be a normal working day," he stressed.

Petkovic also explained that the solution envisages that 10 Serbian mayors compile a list of employees in all educational and health institutions, including the university and students, based on which work and residence permits will be issued for Serbs employed in these institutions.

Temporary permits for these categories will be issued for an initial period of 12 months, as announced by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.

He added that these lists will only include personal data, which means that there is no risk to the security of Serbs, as the Kosovo Police already has all this data.

Law on Foreigners, Kallas: New moment for dialogue, I am ready to organize a high-level meeting

Photo: Associated Press

The European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, has called the agreement on civil registration and the Law on Foreigners in Kosovo an important step, emphasizing that this progress marks a new moment in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. 

Kallas has said she is ready to organize a high-level meeting soon. 

“Today’s agreement on civil registration and the Law on Foreigners marks an important step forward for the benefit of all people in Kosovo. It is essential to ensure continuity in the provision of public services. Thank you to everyone who engaged constructively to make this possible. Moving forward, the implementation of past agreements remains vital. This progress creates new momentum for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, and I look forward to hosting a high-level meeting soon,” she wrote in X. 
 

Ambassadors consider the implementation of the Law on Foreigners important

The Ambassadors of Germany and France have assessed the implementation of the Law on Foreigners as important.

The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Rainer Rudolph, emphasized that this progress is key. 

"It is good to see an agreement on how to implement Kosovo's Laws on Foreigners and Vehicles. Securing residence and work permits for workers and students, avoiding disruption of health and education services, and practical solutions for issuing documents to all Kosovo citizens are important. Building on this progress will be essential," Rudolph wrote. 

The French ambassador to Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, has also welcomed the developments regarding the Law on Foreigners, saying that the actions do not have a negative impact on the lives of Kosovo Serbs. 

"I welcome the joint announcement by Sorensen, Orav and Prime Minister Kurti. The goodwill of all parties has made it possible to find concrete solutions. It is essential that the actions taken do not have a negative impact on the living conditions of the Kosovo Serb community. I commend the proactive and very positive role of the European Union," Guerot wrote in a post on X.

The Kosovo Government has agreed to provide temporary relief to members of the Serbian community who do not have Kosovo documents, in the framework of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles, which are expected to enter into full force from Sunday (tomorrow).

According to the agreement of the Government of Kosovo with the EU, Serbian education and health workers, as well as students, will be able to obtain a temporary residence permit with an initial period of 12 months, as well as recognition of the identity cards they possess, until a further solution.
 

Kurti: Government will offer 12-month residence permits to Serbian students and workers

Photo: Driton Pacharada

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that the process of implementing the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles will be carried out in coordination with the EU Special Envoy, Peter Sorensen. 

He explained that the Government will be provided by the local heads of Serb-majority municipalities with lists of health and academic staff who are engaged in Kosovo, and then the Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide them with temporary permits. 

Kurti emphasized that it is not in Kosovo's interest for the implementation of the Law not to produce obstacles in the provision of services, but that Kosovo's position is that "there cannot be illegal mechanisms" in Kosovo. 

"The government will be provided by local leaders with lists of health and academic staff who are engaged in providing these services. The lists will serve as the basis for granting temporary residence permits to foreign citizens who apply to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The same applies to foreign students staying in Kosovo, for whom municipal leaders will provide the full list. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide these students with temporary residence permits for 12 months with the possibility of extension," he said. 

Kurti has announced that a new quarterly window will be opened to enable Serbian citizens who have documents from illegal structures to register in the Kosovo Civil Registry.

"The government will also open a new quarterly window to enable citizens of Serbian nationality to register civil facts that were registered by illegal structures until March 15, 2026. During this period, applicants will also be allowed to use, exclusively as a means of identification, the ID card issued by illegal structures. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will issue detailed instructions that enable the registration of these facts within the Central Civil Registry System of the Republic of Kosovo."

Kosovo agrees to temporary relief for Serbs in Law on Foreigners

The Kosovo government has agreed to provide temporary relief to members of the Serbian community who do not have Kosovo documents, in the framework of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles, which are expected to enter into full force from Sunday (tomorrow), confirmed the European Union's envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, and Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during a meeting they had on Saturday morning in Pristina.

According to the agreement of the Government of Kosovo with the EU, Serbian education and health workers, as well as students, will be able to obtain a temporary residence permit with an initial period of 12 months, as well as recognition of the identity cards they possess, until a further solution.

Laws on foreigners stipulate that all persons who do not possess Kosovo documents must be issued with a residence permit, while vehicles with foreign license plates will not be able to circulate in Kosovo for more than three months, unless they have the appropriate authorization.

However, after Saturday's meeting, it was decided that these rules will not immediately apply to Kosovo Serbs without Kosovo documents. They will be able to obtain temporary residence permits for up to 12 months, and use ID cards issued by parallel structures in the country as identification documents.

At a press conference on Saturday after meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Pristina, Sorensen praised the commitment of Kosovo institutions to implement the Law and efforts to integrate communities in accordance with agreements with the EU.

But Sorensen stressed that the process of legal changes takes time, but welcomed the dedication of the Kosovo Government and Prime Minister Kurti's commitment to implementing the laws, without interrupting the functioning of basic services (education, health) for the Serbian community. 

"The Government's key priority is to secure permits for workers and students for an initial period of 12 months, so as not to impede the provision of health and educational services... the government must register individuals in accordance with Kosovo law," Sorensen said.

He also stressed the importance of consultations with representatives of the Serbian community to ensure their reconciliation and the implementation of a fair and inclusive process.

The law on foreigners and the law on vehicles are expected to come into effect tomorrow, after being postponed twice.

For foreign citizens who violate the conditions of residence in Kosovo, the Law on Foreigners provides for strict measures ranging from fines to orders to leave the country.

The law mostly affects citizens of Albania and Serbia. One sector affected is the employees and students of the University of North Mitrovica.

Regarding the implementation of the Law on Vehicles, the removal of Serbian license plates in 2022-2023, some of them re-registered them with license plates of Serbian cities and drive them in Kosovo with authorizations. The authorizations contain ID cards issued by Serbian authorities for Kosovo cities, which official Kosovo does not recognize.

Serbia has criticized the implementation of these laws. Serbian officials have claimed that their implementation risks the departure of the Serbian community from Kosovo.

These laws have been opposed by the authorities in Serbia and by the Serbian List.

The opposition party in Serbia, the New Democratic Party, has announced a protest from Raška to Jarinje for Saturday with the slogan: "Serbs are not foreigners within their own country."

"On the occasion of the start of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, adopted by the provisional institutions in Pristina, which - according to this message - is directed against the Serbian people living in Kosovo, we invite everyone to a rally of support for all Serbs living in Kosovo! Now they need us more than ever!", the party's announcement reads. This entity has announced a two-hour traffic blockade at the Jarinje border crossing, starting at 12:44 p.m., as a reference to UN Resolution 1244 on Kosovo.

The law on foreigners was adopted in 2013. The law on vehicles in 2017. Their implementation was announced for the end of last year, and then postponed to January. Kosovo authorities conducted an information campaign for several weeks during that period. After that, it was postponed again until March 15.

The law on foreigners brings Sorensen to Pristina

The approach of March 16, the date set for the full implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles, will bring the European Union's envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to Kosovo on Saturday (today).

Prime Minister Albin Kurti's office has announced that he will receive Sorensen in Pristina at 08:30. While the announcement did not provide details about the Danish envoy's visit, European diplomatic sources have said that the reason for the visit is the deadline for implementing the Law on Foreigners.

A statement to the media is expected after the meeting.

March 16 is the date when this law is expected to begin to be implemented, after several months of an information campaign on the procedures and rules for implementing these laws.

The law on foreigners stipulates that all those who do not have Kosovo documents will have to obtain a residence permit, while vehicles with foreign license plates will not be able to circulate for more than three months or only on the basis of authorization.

For foreign citizens who violate the conditions of residence in Kosovo, the Law on Foreigners provides for strict measures ranging from fines to orders to leave the country.

The law mostly affects citizens of Albania and Serbia. One sector affected is the employees and students of the University of North Mitrovica.

Regarding the implementation of the Law on Vehicles, the removal of Serbian license plates in 2022-2023, some of them re-registered them with license plates of Serbian cities and drive them in Kosovo with authorizations. The authorizations contain ID cards issued by Serbian authorities for Kosovo cities, which official Kosovo does not recognize.

Serbia has criticized the implementation of these laws. Serbian officials have claimed that their implementation risks the departure of the Serbian community from Kosovo.

These laws have been opposed by the authorities in Serbia and by the Serbian List.

The opposition party in Serbia, the New Democratic Party, has announced a protest from Raška to Jarinje for Saturday with the slogan: "Serbs are not foreigners within their own country."

"On the occasion of the start of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, adopted by the provisional institutions in Pristina, which - according to this message - is directed against the Serbian people living in Kosovo, we invite everyone to a rally of support for all Serbs living in Kosovo! Now they need us more than ever!", the party's announcement reads. This entity has announced a two-hour traffic blockade at the Jarinje border crossing, starting at 12:44 p.m., as a reference to UN Resolution 1244 on Kosovo.

The law on foreigners was adopted in 2013. The law on vehicles in 2017. Their implementation was announced for the end of last year, and then postponed to January. Kosovo authorities conducted an information campaign for several weeks during that period. After that, it was postponed again until March 15.