LOC17:43
14:43 GMT
BRUSSELS, March 23 (KUNA) -- The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Interior Affairs endorsed a short-stay visa freedom agreement with Kosovo.
With 47 in votes in favour, eight against, and four abstaining, the Committee during its meeting in Brussels on Thursday gave its green light for the final adoption of the legislation.
The legislation will allow citizens of Kosovo to travel to the EU, and EU citizens to go to Kosovo, without requesting a visa, for periods of up to 90 days.
The full European Parliament is set to give its final approval during the 17-20 April plenary session in Strasbourg, said an EP statement.
Kosovo is a potential candidate for EU accession that unilaterally declared its independence in February 2008.
The independence is currently not recognised by five EU member states (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain).
The European Parliament has supported visa liberalisation with Kosovo since 2016, after the European Commission declared that Kosovo fulfils the criteria of its roadmap for visa liberalisation.
Kosovo is currently the only part of the Western Balkans region to not enjoy visa-free travel on short stays with the Schengen area. (end)
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