Adrian Berisha belongs to the young people who want to put Kosovo on the map. For several years, he has worked to build up the country’s cultural scene – organized art exhibitions and staged Kosovo’s first opera.
He sees people come and go – he himself remains.
– Honestly, it is very painful not to be able to get your passport, buy a ticket and visit a city.
Many young people have never traveled
Traveling as a Kosovar is difficult. People testify to months-long queues at visa agencies, application processes that require bank statements and proof of employment – and then the price.
A visa to the EU costs roughly 122 euros, which is a quarter of an average monthly salary. This has meant that most young people in Kosovo have never left the country.
The process began in 2012
Kosovo needed to implement a series of reforms to gain EU approval – including those aimed at corruption and organized crime.
Several EU countries have also expressed concern that Kosovans would stay in the EU, if they were allowed to start traveling there.
As early as 2018, the European Commission determined that Kosovo met all the requirements for visa liberalization, but it would take another five years before that became a reality.
The new visa rules apply to travel for 90 days during a six-month period and will come into force at the turn of the year.
– I will breathe easier when we get visa liberalization. Our cage will be opened, and we will get our wings back, says Adrian Berisha.