RFE: Kosovo Gov’t Ready to Accept U.S. Request for Receiving Foreign Citizens

Kosovo Assembly (BETAPHOTO/ARMENIJA ZAJMI BESEVIC)

The outgoing Kosovo government has confirmed readiness for cooperation with the United States regarding the acceptance and temporary relocation of citizens of third countries into Kosovo, in keeping with the set terms, Perparim Kreziu, the government’s spokesman, announced on June 11.

“During a one-year period, up to 50 persons may be temporarily relocated with the aim of making it easier for them to return to the country of origin. The government has expressed readiness to engage, with the possibility to select individuals from a proposed list, providing that they fulfilled particular criteria regarding the rule of law and public order,” Kreziu told Radio Free Europe (RFE).

The U.S. Department of State confirmed in a statement to RFE on June 6 that economies of the Western Balkans were included in the broader U.S. strategy for deporting foreigners with unregulated status.

“American partners and regional leaders closely cooperate with us in order to end the crisis of illegal mass migration,” the State Department announced, adding that the implementation of migration policy of the Trump administration was one of its priorities, i.e. that the removal from the U.S. of foreigners with final deportation orders and the deportation of illegal migrants protected the U.S. against terrorists and other threats to national security.