Spain recognizes Kosovar passports: Important step to its project of integration into the EU
According to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by the NGO Transparency International, Kosovo ranks 83rd in the world (41 points), an increase of 21 places compared to 2020.
The Kosovo authorities said on January 6 that Spain had recognised the country's passport. While this change does not represent an official recognition of Kosovo as an independent state by Spain, it does symbolize a step forward in its project of integration into the European Union.
Kosovo accepts this: it wants to join the European Union (EU). To comply with European requirements, the country has committed to strengthening its rule of law. This involves reforms in several key areas, starting with the fight against corruption.
Under the aegis of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who has been in office since 2021, Kosovo has launched a new anti-corruption agency, called KAB (Kosovo-Anti-Corruption Agency), which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption. The government is also committed to making the judiciary more independent and effective. It also created a transparency law that requires public servants and companies to make their financial accounts public.
It's a work that pays off. According to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by the NGO Transparency International, Kosovo ranks 83rd in the world (41 points), an increase of 21 places compared to 2020. For its part, the Gap Institute informs that 62 per cent of Kosovars believe that corruption has weakened in the country over the past three years.
The executive is also rolling out various reforms to strengthen democracy. This requires progress on human rights, civil rights, minority rights, LGBT rights, etc. The establishment of free and fair elections and the consolidation of press freedom can also be highlighted.
As a result, Kosovo is ranked 56th in the Reporters Without Borders media index, a jump of 22 places compared to 2022. Kosovo is also, according to Freedom House, the leading country in the Western Balkans in terms of improving its civil and political rights. It was the second fastest growing in Europe and the third fastest worldwide.
In addition, the V-Dem Institute's Electoral Democracy Index places Kosovo at the top of the podium among Western Balkan countries. Kosovo has also been ranked as the world's second-largest rule of law improvement in the world, according to the World Justice Project.
In addition to the democratic aspect, Kosovo has also posted an average economic growth of 7.9 per cent over the past three years. Its tax revenues have risen by 66 per cent, exports and foreign direct investment have doubled, and its trade deficit has fallen by 33 per cent.
The country's budget deficit is at its lowest in history. Its budget increased by 35 per cent between 2021 and 2023, reaching an unprecedented €860 million. The most massive profits (€842 million) are redistributed to citizens, particularly the disadvantaged, without creating new debts. This is why Kosovo's public debt was set at 17 per cent of GDP last year, a rate lower than that of EU countries.
Kosovo is also making significant efforts to demonstrate its commitment to a peaceful relationship with Serbia and to move towards European integration. On March 5th last the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi met in Pristina the EU envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, in order to discuss the normalisation of relations between the two countries, but also on Kosovo's policy in favour of the euro. The two men also discussed Kosovo's accession to the Council of Europe, which has been blocked by the ongoing dispute over the Visoki Decani monastery.
All these examples prove that Kosovo now has the credibility to become a full member of the European Union. The strengthening of its rule of law, its economy, and its openness to dialogue with Serbia are all arguments in favour of the recognition of Kosovo. Elements that have not escaped Spain, for example.
On January 6, the Kosovar authorities claimed that Spain, one of the five EU member states not to recognise Kosovo's independence, had recognised his passport.
"The good news continues for our citizens and our country. DG Home (Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Union) has informed us that Spain now also recognises passports from the Republic of Kosovo. So we can travel to this country without a visa," Kosovar Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi said on Facebook.
Spain has now been added to the Schengen zone nations to which Kosovar nationals can travel without a visa since January 1, 2024. The news was also communicated on X by Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, the Kosovar Minister of Foreign Affairs, who referred to an official document from the Directorate General of Migration showing Spain's new position.
"Spain will recognise ordinary passports issued by Kosovo from January 1, 2024. This change does not in any way constitute official recognition of Kosovo as an independent state," the document said. The Iberian country is one of five EU nations - along with Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania - that have not recognised the independence proclaimed 16 years ago by Kosovo, nor has it ever been validated by Serbia.
But unlike the other four countries, Spain also did not recognise Kosovo's passport. Nationals could therefore not go to Spain even with a visa for the Schengen zone. Implemented on January 1, the visa-free regime allows Kosovars to stay in the Schengen area without a visa. They can stay in the EU for 90 days in a 180-day period.
With a population of 1.8 million, Kosovo is the last of the six Western Balkan countries to benefit from such a regime. Before the European Union abolished the visa regime for Kosovo, Kosovar passport holders could enter only 14 countries without a visa. Kosovo's independence is now recognized by more than 100 states, including the United States, and 22 EU member states, but not by Serbia's allies China and Russia.
The acceptance of Kosovar visas by Spain is a symbolic and concrete recognition of the progress made by Kosovo. This is an important step towards a more comprehensive European integration, which will benefit the people of Kosovo and contribute to the stability and prosperity of Europe as a whole.
Facilitating the mobility of Kosovar citizens to Europe promotes human, economic and cultural exchanges. It also stimulates Kosovo's development and strengthens its ties with the Old Continent. In addition, widespread access to the Schengen area can encourage foreign investment and boost job creation in Kosovo.
(This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Ltd’s Consumer Connect Initiative, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility, liability or claims for any errors or omissions in the content of the article. The IDPL Editorial team is not responsible for this content.)
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04:43 PM IST