On Europe Day, with the banners “Treat us equally” and “Make us part of European youth”, students expressed their indignation and dissatisfaction with the European Union for not liberalizing visas for the citizens of Kosovo.
Omer Kosumi from the student movement “Study Criticism Action”, said that Kosovo has met the criteria and the EU must meet its obligations to lift the visa regime for the country.
“The purpose of this symbolic action is to express the anger and dissatisfaction of students regarding the non-liberalization of visas, as one of the most affected categories. With this symbolic action, we express our concern about the continuing discrimination and denial of the right to study anywhere in the EU, compared to other member states or countries of the region who enjoy the right,” he said.
He added that the lack of visa liberalization also means a denial of diversity by the EU.
“Non-liberalization of visas for Kosovo also means the denial of diversity, preventing Kosovo students from becoming part of European youth with different philosophical, moral, ethnic, racial, academic and intellectual worldviews … Withthis activity we ask the EU to treat us equally first and then help us in progress by becoming part of them”, stressed Kosumi.
Kosovo has met the criteria of the European Union for visa liberalization in 2018. The green light was given by the European Parliament and the European Commission, but for several years now, the issue remained to be resolved in the EU Council of Ministers. Among the countries skeptical about visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens are France and the Netherlands.
