Upcoming Visa Liberalization Steering Committee meeting was held

In his opening speech, the Prime Minister Mr. Thaçi stated: “Today, I have only one message for you, preserve the integrity of the visa liberalization process and the SAA. Today, we intentionally invited you, you who have the honour and responsibility to carry on your shoulders two important processes, the visa liberalization and the signing of the SAA. Today, I have only one message, thus to preserve the integrity of these two processes. We should not allow, at any price, election campaigns to decrease the level of dedication and commitment to these two vital processes for citizens of Kosovo. Autumn is crucial for these two processes and requires a maximum commitment of everyone. With the visit of Commissioner for Enlargement on October 18, formally begins the negotiation of the SAA, meanwhile, within few weeks, we expect other assessment missions regarding visa liberalization criteria fulfilment. Especially I would like to address to the ministers who are involved in these two processes. For you, visa liberalization and the SAA should be an absolute priority. We urge that, at any price, your attention should not be focused on the campaign for local elections. Your primary task is to ensure that each officer with responsibilities in this process, to be highly committed. You, with your commitment, must be an example to all. I urge from Minister Çitaku and all of you who are engaged in this process, to regularly report on the progress of these two processes. This should be the first priority of yours, and, of course, must continue with elections, but the first priority is the commitment to visa liberalization process and SAA”.

While during the meeting, Minister Çitaku stated: “This week we received confirmation from the European Commission on the undertaken preparations in Brussels regarding the assessment missions for visa liberalization process. Exact dates are being discussed, but these assessment missions are expected to take place during November and will cover: Repatriation, Reintegration, Documents Security, and possibly they will also asses Migration and Asylum. Missions will be conducted by experts in respective fields, selected by the EU Member States and European Commission officials. They will stay in Kosovo for several days and during that time will meet with officials of the Kosovo institutions, international organizations operating in Kosovo, representatives of civil society, etc., which will analyze the implementation of visa liberalization criteria. It is important that we are prepared and ready to receive these officials as best as possible, this means that it is utmost importance that until then we have a better implementation of these criteria’s for visa liberalization and to ensure that your staff is better prepared, with best knowledge on how to present the work done by the relevant institutions, also, they must have knowledge over local legislation, and preferably have solid knowledge of the EU legislation and the English language. Hence, in other words we need best officials that we have, to meet these EU experts and present Kosovo case as best as possible.”