New diplomatic tensions have
emerged following Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's visit to
Sarajevo, which began Thursday evening. The Serb-Bosniaks, who
do not recognize Kosovo's independence, view this visit as a
provocation. They have protested and criticized Croatian and
Bosniak officials for providing Kurti with a platform that they
believe is designated for leaders of sovereign nations.
During his visit, Kurti was welcomed at the tripartite
presidency headquarters only by Zeljko Komsic, the Croatian
member, and Denis Becirovic, the Bosniak member. In contrast,
the Serb member, Zeljka Cvijanovic, also the rotating president
of the Presidency, did not attend.
"The presidency members, Zeljko Komsic and Denis Becirovic,
abused their positions by using the presidential building for a
private visit by Albin Kurti. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not
recognize Kosovo; if they wanted to socialize, they should have
met in one of Sarajevo's cafes, not in a joint institutional
space," Cvijanovic said.
Following this, Kurti met with members of the government of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, although the three Serb ministers were
absent from the meeting. Additionally, Serbian leaders in
Belgrade protested Kurti's visit.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has not recognized Kosovo's
independence due to the opposition from Republika Srpska, the
Serb-majority entity within the country. In contrast, the
Bosniak-Croat Federation supports the recognition of Kosovo. An
agreement to abolish the visa regime between Kosovo and Bosnia
and Herzegovina remains unratified, as representatives from
Republika Srpska have blocked it.
Currently, Kosovo citizens wishing to travel to Bosnia and
Herzegovina can only obtain a visa in exceptional cases, which
requires the signature of the Bosnian foreign minister. They
must apply for a visa in Belgrade, Skopje, or Podgorica for a
fee of 31 euros. Conversely, Bosnian citizens need a visa, a
guarantee letter, a hotel reservation, or an employment contract
to travel to Kosovo. The visa costs 40 euros and is issued by
the Kosovo embassy in Zagreb.
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