Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced that starting January 1, 2025, Kosovo will unilaterally allow free movement for holders of identification documents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, citizens of both countries require visas to travel between them, despite existing agreements.

Speaking at the Berlin Process summit in Germany, Kurti noted that significant progress has been made, but more actions are needed. He criticized the Republika Srpska entity for refusing to ratify the agreement for free movement, which Kosovo was the first to ratify in the region. “I have decided to put an end to the waiting,” he stated.

The Berlin Process, initiated by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014, aims to enhance cooperation among the Western Balkan countries—Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia—and gradually integrate them into the European Union. Kosovo is currently the only country in the region that is not an official candidate for EU membership.

While citizens of Kosovo can travel to North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro using ID cards, they must obtain visas to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina, which does not recognize Kosovo’s statehood. Kurti’s announcement aims to improve mobility between the two countries and may promote further regional cooperation.

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