Kosovo approves agreement to allow Western Balkan citizens to travel with ID cards

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – The Kosovo Assembly approved an agreement Thursday that will allow citizens of the Western Balkans to travel with an identity card.

The agreement was signed Nov. 3 at the Conference of Western Balkan Countries in Berlin, hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The 120-seat Assembly passed the bill with 82 deputies present, and the agreement was unanimously approved.

Bosnia and Herzegovina applies a strict visa regime for Kosovo citizens, a country whose independence it does not recognize. Since 2014, Kosovo has implemented the same practice for Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens based on the principle of reciprocity.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told the Assembly that the two countries have "difficult relations" due to a veto by Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kurti expressed hope that Bosnia will soon lift the veto for the agreement to be put into action.

The prime ministers of Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia signed agreements that will enable their citizens to travel between countries with their identity cards and recognize university and vocational education diplomas as part of the Berlin process.

The agreements will take effect after ratification by the respective governments and assemblies.