PRISTINA (Kosovo), March 22 (SeeNews) – Kosovo's parliament said late on Wednesday it ratified the border demarcation deal with Montenegro - a key EU requirement for visa liberalisation - after the session was disrupted by opposition MPs releasing teargas in the chamber.
After situation returned to normal, 80 out of 120 MPs voted in favour of the ratification, while 11 voted against, the parliament press office said in a statement.
The MPs were unable to vote during the day because it was impossible to stay in the chamber after teargas was released several times by some members of main opposition party Vetevendosje.
Seven opposition MP suspected of releasing teargas were suspended from the session in order to bring the situation back to normal.
The ratification was welcomed by the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn and US ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie.
The ratification of the border deal with Montenegro represents a real achievement in the spirit of good neighbourly relations, Mogherini and Hahn said in a joint statement.
"The ratification is also the fulfilment of one of the key criteria for Kosovo's visa liberalisation," they said.
Greg Delawie congratulated the MPs in a Twitter post just after the vote was concluded.
Kosovo parliament has delayed the ratification of the border demarcation agreement reached in 2015 with Montenegro due to continuous protest and boycott from opposition parties arguing the deal was giving away chunks of Kosovo territory to the neighbouring country. Montenegro has already ratified the agreement.
The ratification of the border deal with Montenegro is essential for recommending visa liberalization with Kosovo, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said during his visit to Kosovo at the end of February.
Kosovo, considered to be a potential candidate for EU membership by the European Commission, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. It is the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens need visas to travel to EU member states.