Albania president rejects Kosovo passport request
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Albania's president has turned down a request from his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci to issue Albanian passports for citizens in neighboring Kosovo, the only nation in Europe excluded from a visa-free European travel zone.
Ilir Meta, who is visiting Kosovo Wednesday, said the solution was "through dialogue."
The European Union insists Kosovo must approve a border demarcation deal with Montenegro before its citizens can enjoy visa-free travel within the so-called Schengen zone.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Opposition lawmakers in Kosovo have refused to ratify that deal, saying it meant Kosovo would lose land.
Albania has enjoyed access to the visa-free regime since 2010. Kosovo's 1.9 million population is mainly ethnic Albanian.