Representatives of more than 50 civil society organizations, cultural institutions and media from Kosovo and B&H by acclamation in Pristina adopted the Declaration “with which they request immediate abolition of the visa regime between the two countries, the most restrictive one in Europe, which limits the freedom of movement of people, ideas, and cultural exchange”.
Requests were submitted to governments in Pristina and Sarajevo, entity authorities, as well as regional and international institutions, who are required to urgently formulate measures in order to help citizens living in B&H and Kosovo to be allowed to enjoy the right to freedom of movement as all the other citizens of other countries in Southeast Europe.
Research conducted showed that B&H economy loses one million EUR each month due to the existence of the visa regime, which makes business difficult.
Pristina publicist Skeljzen Malici reminded that Kosovo and B&H were part of the same country for 70 years and that many connections and positive traces remained from that period, and that “it is essential that the government in Sarajevo and Pristina face the truth that our region remained on the same place and that the distance between Pristina and Sarajevo, Mostar or Banja Luka remained the same as before.”
Therefore, it is expect that Kosovo and B&H will use that geographical and cultural proximity in all other ways in the upcoming period.
The meeting in Pristina is part of the Initiative for open discussion led by the Foundation Dokukino with the support of the Foundation for Open Society of Kosovo and the Open Society Fund in partnership with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in B&H, according to the Foundation Dokukino.
(Source: akta.ba)
