Post by engers on Jun 24, 2008 9:38:57 GMT -5
24 June 2008 Pristina _ Kosovo will begin issuing its official state passports by mid-July, an Interior Ministry official has told Balkan Insight.
According to Fisnik Rexhepi, the political advisor to Kosovo’s Interior Minister, the travel documents are going to be first issued by the second half of July.
“Currently, we are settling the legal issues,” Rexhepi explained.
Meanwhile, he explained that “even some countries who did not recognise Kosovo’s independence to date have signalled that they will accept our passports.”
He recalled the statement made by the Greek Foreign Minister last week that Kosovo can open a Diplomatic Bureau in Athens although the Hellenic Republic did not recognise Kosovo yet.
“This shows that they will have to accept Kosovo documents, too,” Rexhepi maintained adding that “once the documents start being issued in July; we will send notes to all states asking for the recognition of our documents, as a need to facilitate the movement of citizens.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 but the majority of its citizens continue to hold either former Yugoslav passports or travel documents issued by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, which have been accepted by fewer countries than those that have recognised Kosovo as an independent state.
Concerning the Serb minority, Rexhepi emphasised that they will face no problem in movement, particularly to and from Serbia, based on the principle of ‘dual citizenship’ provided under the country’s constitution which came into force on June 15.
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[ftp]http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/11296/[/ftp]
According to Fisnik Rexhepi, the political advisor to Kosovo’s Interior Minister, the travel documents are going to be first issued by the second half of July.
“Currently, we are settling the legal issues,” Rexhepi explained.
Meanwhile, he explained that “even some countries who did not recognise Kosovo’s independence to date have signalled that they will accept our passports.”
He recalled the statement made by the Greek Foreign Minister last week that Kosovo can open a Diplomatic Bureau in Athens although the Hellenic Republic did not recognise Kosovo yet.
“This shows that they will have to accept Kosovo documents, too,” Rexhepi maintained adding that “once the documents start being issued in July; we will send notes to all states asking for the recognition of our documents, as a need to facilitate the movement of citizens.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 but the majority of its citizens continue to hold either former Yugoslav passports or travel documents issued by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, which have been accepted by fewer countries than those that have recognised Kosovo as an independent state.
Concerning the Serb minority, Rexhepi emphasised that they will face no problem in movement, particularly to and from Serbia, based on the principle of ‘dual citizenship’ provided under the country’s constitution which came into force on June 15.
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[ftp]http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/11296/[/ftp]