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Long lines in front of the Swiss embassy in the Kosovo capital Pristina will soon be a thing of the past. On Monday, with the start of the new year, the visa requirement for Kosovars will decrease. From then on, you can enter the Schengen area – and therefore also our country – without a visa for a shorter stay of up to 90 days.
Traveling to European countries without a visa is of great importance for the people of Kosovo, FDP politician Përparim Avdili (36) emphasizes to Radio SRF. The Zurich resident himself has Albanian roots. He has numerous contacts in Kosovo.
Easier to visit family
“Many young people felt trapped in a cage in the middle of Europe,” says Avdili. This step would now correct an injustice. “People can now travel freely in accordance with European values.” In the future it will be much easier for them to visit family and friends in Switzerland.
Not surprisingly, the innovation that Kosovan citizens will no longer need a visa from January 1, 2024, has raised fears in right-wing circles that numerous Kosovars will soon emigrate illegally to the Schengen Area and also work illegally in Switzerland.
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) says it will keep an eye on this, spokesperson Samuel Wyss told the radio station. Switzerland maintains very good bilateral relations with Kosovo. “The collaboration also works excellently in the field of returns and any problems can be addressed quickly,” says Wyss.
14 positions less
The abolition of the visa requirement has consequences for the Swiss embassy in Pristina. Until now, 58 employees worked there. However, fourteen positions will be eliminated in the new year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) in Bern announced at the request of SRF. Positions in the consular affairs department are affected by this.
The four Swiss embassy employees whose positions are being eliminated will be transferred to new locations by the FDFA. On the other hand, the ten local workers who lose their jobs would have to look for work. However, the dismissed Kosovo employees are supported in their job search, for example by issuing letters of recommendation for them and financing language courses for them.
Source:Blick
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