Kosovo’s deputy prime minister on January 6 welcomed a decision by Spain to recognize Kosovar passports five days after citizens of Kosovo were granted visa-free travel within the European Union’s Schengen zone.
Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi said on Facebook that Spain’s recognition of passports issued by Kosovo was “more good news” for Kosovo.
“Spain now also recognizes the passports of the Republic of Kosovo,” he said. “So we can travel without [a] visa to this country.”
Kosovar Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz thanked Madrid in Spanish for the decision.
Visa liberalization for citizens of Kosovo came into effect on January 1, but Spain was the only country in the Schengen zone that was excluded.
A document published on January 5 on the website of the European Commission's Department for Migration and Home Affairs said that from January 1, Spain recognizes ordinary passports issued by Kosovo.
"This does not imply in any form formal recognition of Kosovo as an independent state," the document states.
Spain is among five EU states that do not recognize Kosovo's independence. The others are Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Romania. However, all these states recognized travel documents issued by authorities in Kosovo.
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'A Feeling Beyond Description:' Kosovars Enjoy Visa-Free Schengen Travel
Prior to the change in the regulation, the European Commission had confirmed several times that Kosovo met all the conditions for visa liberalization, but some states had consistently expressed reservations over concerns about a possible new wave of migration.
Kosovo celebrated the new regulation when it came into effect on January 1. It allows citizens of Kosovo to travel visa-free within the 27-country Schengen zone for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The new visa regulation is intended for tourism and personal travel and does not include permission to work.
Kosovo was the last of the six countries of the Western Balkans to attain the visa waiver, which is perceived as a key step for the country’s ambition to join the EU.