Serbia to allow freedom of movement to Kosovo citizens

(BELGRADE) - Serbia on Thursday moved to allow freedom of movement to all citizens of Kosovo, blocked since the breakaway territory's Albanian majority unilaterally declared independence in 2008.

The government in Belgrade passed a decree on freedom of movement, enabling Kosovo citizens to cross into Serbia and move freely across the country with personal documents issued by Pristina authorities for the first time since the independence was proclaimed, spokesman Milivoje Mihajlovic said.

Mihajlovic said the measure would be implemented by early next week.

"Freedom of movement is a democratic and civilised act and this decree is a follow-up to the agreement" reached during the EU-sponsored talks in Bruselles between Belgrade and Pristina, Mihailovic told AFP.

Kosovo citizens holding identity papers issued by Pristina -- which Belgrade does not recognise -- would be getting documents at the border allowing them to pass through the territory of Serbia.

According to the decree, Serbia will also issue temporary car plates for vehicles registered in Kosovo.

Belgrade has considered Kosovan vehicle number-plates and IDs invalid, preventing Kosovars from using the shortest route to Europe and causing headaches for the 150,000-strong ethnic Albanian diaspora in EU countries, many of whom only hold documents issued by Pristina.

The move represents the implementation of a crucial accord reached so far in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue that opened in March in Brussels under EU auspices and that is a key condition for Serbia's EU bid.

On Tuesday, the European Union's rule of law mission, EULEX, handed over to Pristina authorities certified copies of Kosovo civil registries, which were moved to Belgrade after the 1998-99 war.

Earlier this month European leaders decided to delay to March a decision on whether Serbia could be a candidate for EU membership, calling for Belgrade to improve its relations with Kosovo, including implementing accords already reached.

Serbia has never accepted Kosovo's declaration of independence -- recognised by the United States and most, but not all, European Union countries -- and still considers the territory officially its southern province.