KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Kosovars can travel visa-free to the EU’s Schengen Zone, marking the conclusion of an eleven-year process.
- The first visa-free flight for Kosovars left today at 8:00 am.
- In April 2023, the EU adopted visa-free travel for Kosovo’s passport holders.
Starting today, Kosovars will enjoy visa-free travel for short-term stays to EU’s Schengen Zone countries, marking the finalisation of an eleven-year-long process.
The first visa-free travel flight for Kosovars is scheduled at 08:00 am, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Furthermore, another special flight is also scheduled for Monday, commencing at 10:30 am. This comes after Kosovo’s government, as part of the informative campaign, has organised the first visa-free travel for winners of the EU quiz, as reported by Klan Kosova.
Congratulating citizens of Kosovo on the visa liberalisation, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, speaking from Kosovo’s International Airport “Adem Jashari,” recalled that Kosovo has waited for this process to be finished for too long, stressing that today marks the end of an injustice.
During a press conference, Kurti said that today, 50 citizens who secured this opportunity through the Government’s campaign will be travelling to Vienna.
Our citizens can now travel to 32 countries. In celebration, 50 lucky individuals, winners of our campaign, are embarking on a journey to Vienna. As we explore the world, let’s always remember our roots in Kosovo. Congratulations on the new year and a heartfelt acknowledgment for the visa liberalisation achievement.Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti
Noting that a considerable number of Kosovars are already working abroad, in particular in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and the fact that the diaspora’s contribution to Kosovo’s economy accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the GDP in 2022, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), recently said that Kosovo plays a dynamic role as an origin, transit, and increasingly, a destination for migrants.
Another important step that brings people in Europe closer together: Visa liberalisation for Kosovo finally allows all Kosovar citizens to travel visa-free for short stays to the EU/Schengen area.German Foreign Office
An official website operated by the EU government, Kosovo’s European Integration provided further details related to the consequences that citizens of Kosovo risk facing in case they violate the visa-free travel rules.