Serbian passports issued to 1,200 Albanians

1,200 new biometric passports have been issued to Albanians in Kosovo and southern Serbia since July 2008, the Interior Minister has told daily Danas. According to several sources close to the government and European Commission (EC), the issuing of biometric passports to Kosovo Albanians is one of the constant topics of discussion during meetings on visa regime liberalization between the Serbian negotiating team and the team of EC experts, writes the daily. Serbian passports issued to 1,200 Albanians Serbian negotiators confirmed for Danas that EC experts had stated that Serbia must issue passports to all of its citizens. Security expert Professor Zoran Dragisic told Danas that Kosovo Albanians were entitled to Serbian passports because “Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia.” “According to the Constitution, Albanians are Serbian citizens and there is no reason for our administration not to issue them passports. However, Albanians who came to Kosovo from Albania after 1999 are not eligible for Serbian passports,” Dragisic said. The EC is currently evaluating Serbian passport issuance procedures to people living in Kosovo, in order to confirm the exact numbers of potential illegal migrants from that region. The provincial Interior Minister in Pristina has issued some 250,000 Kosovo passports to its citizens as well.

Serbian passports issued to 1,200 Albanians

Serbian negotiators confirmed for Danas that EC experts had stated that Serbia must issue passports to all of its citizens.

Security expert Professor Zoran Dragišić told Danas that Kosovo Albanians were entitled to Serbian passports because “Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia.”

“According to the Constitution, Albanians are Serbian citizens and there is no reason for our administration not to issue them passports. However, Albanians who came to Kosovo from Albania after 1999 are not eligible for Serbian passports,” Dragišić said.

The EC is currently evaluating Serbian passport issuance procedures to people living in Kosovo, in order to confirm the exact numbers of potential illegal migrants from that region.

The provincial Interior Minister in Priština has issued some 250,000 Kosovo passports to its citizens as well.