Signals from the EU for the liberalization of visas for Kosovo during the presidency of the Czech Republic

Diplomats in Brussels have expressed cautious optimism that France, after Sunday's second round of parliamentary elections and the end of its EU presidency, will drop its opposition to the visa liberalization decision. The raising of this issue at a high level in some EU countries gives signs that liberalization may happen in the second half of the year

Diplomatic sources from the European Union have announced on Thursday for TIME that the liberalization of visas for Kosovo is an issue that will be discussed at the highest level during the next meeting of the leaders of the bloc.

The sources have announced that this gives signs for optimism that the rapid liberalization of the visa regime for Kosovars can happen.

"Cautious optimism" is the most frequent phrase heard in Brussels by some EU diplomats, when asked about the possibility of lifting the visa regime for Kosovars, who are the only ones in Europe who still do not enjoy the possibility of free travel in the Schengen area.

For more than three years, the European Parliament's calls for visa liberalization have had no effect on the bloc's member countries. Not even the continuous confirmation by the European Commission that Kosovo has met all the criteria, as well as the recommendation for visa liberalization, have swayed the Council of the EU, where the issue has stalled. In addition to the statements "we know the importance of liberalization for the citizens of Kosovo" and "the issue is under consideration in the Council", there was no concrete announcement from the Council of the EU.

According to the decision-making procedures in the EU, the European Commission evaluates the fulfillment of the criteria and gives the recommendation, while the European Parliament gives its consent and the final decision is taken by the member states in the Council.

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Kosovo and the Kosovo media are not the only ones who say that France has been the main obstacle so far. This has been said by all EU diplomats in Brussels, with whom KOHA has talked over a period of more than a year.

France has not treated as completely correct the assessment of the EC that "Kosovo has fulfilled all the conditions" and has continued to have some concerns of its own. Some of them have been related to the desire that in Kosovo there are more examples of punishments for organized crime and corruption at a high level, but some other arguments of France have also been related to the arrival of a large number of citizens of Albania and Georgia in this European country to seek asylum, although they did not meet the conditions.

France, according to some European diplomats, has aimed to ensure that one day, when the visas for Kosovo citizens are removed, there will be no mass arrival of them in France with requests for asylum. But some diplomats have linked France's opposition to the internal situation, since the arrival of foreigners there is a very sensitive issue and has been misused by the extreme right.

"There are positive signs from France as well", diplomats have now said. And when France removes the objection, it is not expected that any other country will prevent the decision on the liberalization of visas, which is ultimately made by a qualified majority and not by consensus.

Diplomats in Brussels are cautiously optimistic that France, after Sunday's second round of parliamentary elections and the end of its EU presidency, will drop its opposition to the visa liberalization decision.

The raising of this issue at a high level in some EU countries gives signs that liberalization may happen in the second half of the year.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's public promises that Germany will commit to visa liberalization are also understood as an important element.

Germany, in addition to having great influence in the EU, also has as an argument the fact that the largest number of citizens from Kosovo live in its territory, and that it is the country that has the most connections with Kosovo. This topic is expected to be mentioned in the discussions during the meeting of the leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans on June 23 in Brussels, even though the meeting is not of a formal nature. However, if support for liberalization is offered from the highest political level, and France agrees with this, then it will not be difficult to complete the procedure in the working groups in the EU Council.

As "new moment" are also understood the circumstances created due to the request of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia for membership in the EU.

The European Commission for these countries will recommend the granting of candidate status, even though until recently they were not seen as countries with any prospects for membership, while now they will surpass Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the journey towards European integration.

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All three countries also have visa liberalization. The least the EU can offer Kosovo now is visa liberalization.

Since there are only two weeks left until the end of the EU presidency by France, the procedure for the liberalization of visas for Kosovo, if there is political will, would be completed in the second part of the year, when the Czech Republic will to start her next presidency.