In two days, it will be exactly one year since Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) signed the agreement on free movement within the Berlin Process, an intergovernmental initiative aimed at connecting the countries of the Western Balkans and the European Union (EU) and helping them to build mutual ties based on European values.
The agreement that would abolish the visa regime between the two countries and enable the citizens of BiH and Kosovo to travel without visas has not yet been ratified in the BiH the parliament.
It is blocked by representatives of the authorities from the BiHentity Republika Srpska (RS), led by Dodik’s Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SSND).
How do you travel between the two countries?
For citizens of Kosovo to travel to BiH, a visa is required, which is “issued only in exceptional cases”, with the signature of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH. Requests for BiH visas can be submitted in Skopje, Podgorica and Belgrade. The fee for issuing visas is 31 euros.
In order for citizens of BiH to travel to Kosovo, they need, among other things, a letter of guarantee or a hotel reservation, an employment contract/certificate of employment, a certificate of non-conviction. The visa costs 40 euros and is handed over at the Kosovo embassy in Zagreb.
Who is holding back the process?
Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH Elmedin Konakovicexplained that the SNSD ministers in the Council of Ministers of BiH oppose the agreement on freedom of movement. He states that this agreement is considered “politically controversial” in this political party.
“So, as far as visa liberalization is concerned, that’s where we have a problem, that’s where the SNSD stands very categorically,” claims Konakovic.
He also notes that Serbia and Montenegro have ratified all the documents from the Berlin process, and that it would be logical for BiH to do the same.
How many citizens of Kosovo came to BiH?
The border police of BiH registered 3,457 persons with Kosovo travel documents in five years.
There was no response to journalist’s inquiry as to how many citizens of BiH were recorded by the Kosovo police, Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
