The Serbian authorities have reached out to Spain to request clarification on Spain’s decision to recognize passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo as valid travel documents for entry into Spain. According to El Periodico, while Spain has responded to Serbia’s inquiries, neither country has expanded on the communication further.
In an interview, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, addressed his previous statement that Spain would not recognize the sovereignty of Kosovo or its passports. He clarified that the situation has changed since then, leading Spain to adapt and accept Kosovar passports. Albares emphasized that this move is not a formal recognition of Kosovo.
The Minister also acknowledged that since Kosovo participates in EU summits with the Western Balkan countries, Spain cannot ignore its existence entirely. However, Spain, like other EU countries including Slovakia, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania, continues to deny Kosovo’s sovereignty. Nonetheless, the four countries recognize Kosovo passports as valid travel documents and have been issuing visas to holders of these passports for years.
Criticism of Spain’s decision to recognize Kosovo passports has been raised by the People’s Party, prompting inquiries into whether the move was influenced by a Catalan political party. However, a spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Spain’s recognition of Kosovo passports was aimed at avoiding legal obstacles for Kosovar citizens visiting Spain, without indicating recognition of the country.
Besart Bajrami, founder of SchengenVisaInfo.com, explained that Spain had to recognize Kosovo passports due to the lack of border controls with Portugal, as both countries are part of the Schengen Area. Following years of effort, Kosovo citizens gained visa-free access to the Schengen Area on January 1, 2024. Subsequently, Spain began accepting Kosovo-issued passports on January 6, allowing citizens to travel visa-free to most Schengen member states.
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