Lukas Mandl (PPE). – Mr President, when I speak in favour of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, I speak on behalf of the majority in this Parliament, since we have already voted in favour of visa liberalisation. Now it’s up to the Council to fulfil the promise of the European Union, which came along with the criteria that Kosovo had to fulfil; and Kosovo fulfilled the criteria.

We all know that there are six different states in south-eastern Europe. There are 18 million inhabitants, and only 10% of them, 1.8 million inhabitants, don’t have the opportunity to travel freely. The people of Kosovo should have this opportunity too. By the way, we all have to fight against corruption and for the rule of law in these countries; we have to help the citizens of these countries to fight and to have opportunities for jobs and education at home. It’s not about going to work somewhere else in Europe or settling somewhere else in Europe. It is only about travelling without fees for families, without waiting times, which are annoying for families. It is about visa liberalisation, and I guess that the majority in this European Parliament stands behind the people of Kosovo, who deserve visa liberalisation.