Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-10-06-Speech-3-166"
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"en.20101006.14.3-166"2
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"I would first like to thank my colleague, Tanja Fajon, for this report.
It cannot be denied that a so-called visa wall has gone up over the past two decades between the European Union and certain western Balkan countries. Fortunately, a section of this wall was knocked down last year, when we removed the visa requirement for citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. This work must continue, however, and the advantages of visa-free movement around the European must also be granted to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and, in the future, perhaps Kosovo as well.
In the first place, it has to be said that the governments of these countries have made enormous strides over the past year, fulfilling almost all of the Commission’s demands. Secondly, ladies and gentlemen, we cannot be so naive as to imagine that the current regime prevents criminals from crossing the border. They always know how to find a way. We are not talking today about criminals, or even about politicians, businessmen or entrepreneurs. We are talking about ordinary people from the Balkans. We are not talking about safeguarding jobs or the right of residence. We are discussing today the fundamental right of future citizens of the European Union to travel freely around the Union and to forge social and professional links with partners from the EU Member States. Thirdly, liberalisation of the visa regime will help to stabilise the western Balkans and strengthen political and economic cooperation, to boost the inhabitants’ support for the EU and the prospects for European integration, expand people’s horizons and put a stop to the forces of anti-European extremism.
The only reservation I have over the report concerns Kosovo. I agree with Mrs Fajon that ordinary people from this area should not be hostages to the current political situation but, at the same time, it is necessary to formulate the decision on free movement for Kosovars clearly in such a way that their leaders do not begin to interpret it erroneously as a
recognition of their declaration of statehood. We must make all efforts now for the visa-free regime to be introduced as soon as possible for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina has made dramatic progress in recent months, after the EU ruled in July last year that these countries did not fulfil the conditions for liberalising the visa regime. As long as these advantages are granted only to certain nations, there will always be a risk of destabilising the region, as well as a danger that the political and ethnic mosaic will shatter into even smaller pieces. The governments of these countries have worked hard over recent months to eliminate their shortcomings, make up for lost time, and provide quality levels equal to those of neighbouring countries.
The knowledge that the European Union will soon allow both countries – and particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina – visa-free travel, will reduce the risk of even greater ethnic and political instability, strengthen political and economic cooperation, boost the inhabitants’ support for the EU and the prospects for European integration, expand people’s horizons and put a stop to the forces of anti-European extremism."@en1
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