EU increasingly hesitant about lifting visas for Kosovo

A growing number of EU member states are hesitant to adopt visa liberalization for Kosovo, RTS is reporting on Monday, quoting Kosovo-based media.

Leading among them are the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium.

Analyst of the European Institute for Politics of Kosovo Taulant Krueziu, says that instead of increasing, the number of EU countries that encourage visa liberalization for Kosovo is actually falling.

"The hesitation was seen in the views of Germany, France and the Netherlands, but now there are 10 or 12 countries that are undecided. If these three countries hesitate, the obstacles are obvious," Krueziu said.

Due to the EU becoming less likely to grant visa liberalization for Kosovo this year, and announcements that it this will not happen next year, either, Pristina has introduced stronger words into its vocabulary towards Brussels.

President of the Kosovo Assembly Kadri Veseli thus said that the absence of visa liberalization would mean "racism," while Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj warned Pristina would "lose confidence in the EU."

There is a fear that inhabitants of Kosovo, above all young people, would swamp EU countries if visa liberalization is approved. Unemployment in Kosovo is at a troubling level, while young people, mostly ethnic Albanians, look for every opportunity to find a job abroad.

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