Visa exemption for Kosovars timely
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's decision to grant visa-free entry to all citizens of Kosovo for stays of up to 30 days marks a new milestone that will further boost the two nations' bilateral ties.
It is set to be a catalyst that not only will deepen engagements between governments and stimulate two-way trade and business activities, but also in expanding people-to-people exchanges across the multifaceted areas of culture, education, and tourism.
Kosovo's President Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said the news have been warmly received by the Kosovars after her government announced that Malaysia is removing these visa restrictions for its citizens recently.
'So, this has made quite a big news in our country. I am sure that a lot of people will want to visit (Malaysia) now,' she told Bernama and RTM in an exclusive interview on Friday, during her official visit to Malaysia.
The President, on April 25, on a post on her X account, has expressed her appreciation to Malaysia for the visa exemptions to all citizens of the republic for stays of up to 30 days.
Osmani said Kosovo removed visa restrictions for Malaysia some time ago, allowing Malaysians to travel to Kosovo without restrictions for up to 90 days, and now Malaysia has reciprocated the move.
She said the move is a very timely and welcome decision, which also shows the personal dedication of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to enhance the relations between the two countries.
'We are looking forward to seeing more and more citizens from our country visiting Malaysia,' she said.
The President also looks forward to direct flights between Kosovo and Malaysia in the future to ease communication and travel, and increase tourism between the two countries.
'Even as we speak, connections are very, very good, mostly through Istanbul, but there are also other connections as well on a daily basis. However, direct flights are always an easier way to expand more communication and more travel,' she added.
Osmani said Kosovars travel to Malaysia mainly for tourism; and at the same time, Kosovo is also working a lot and investing a lot in its tourism, especially highland tourism.
The President said that the people-to-people connections between Kosovo and Malaysia remains strong, noting Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo during its most difficult moments in 1999, and its early recognition of Kosovo's independence in 2008.
'And at that time, many countries supported us, and Malaysia was one of the first. Malaysia's support helped Kosovo reconstruct the country,' she said.
According to Osmani, Kosovo practically had to build the country from the ashes, and Malaysia's support helped the country through the peace-building project. It also assisted Kosovo during their independence and state-building process.
'So in all of these phases, Malaysia was with us, and the people of Kosovo are very grateful,' she added.
Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian country to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011.
In 2024, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Kosovo reached RM28.55 million (US$6.0 million), with Malaysia's exports to the republic valued at RM25.92 million (US$5.5 million), and imports at RM2.63 million (US$550,000).
Key Malaysian exports include palm oil, electrical and electronic products, and manufactured goods, while imports from Kosovo mainly consist of raw materials and semi-precious stones.
The President also hoped that her four-day maiden visit here will have to spark stronger interests among Malaysia on Kosovo, thus helping to contribute towards creating closer connections between their citizens.
'There have been a lot of students from Kosovo who came to study in Malaysia, and they have contributed to these connections.
'And as I said lately, a lot of touristic visits are happening that are contributing to these human bonds. But we are very hopeful that more is to come, and that this human connection is going to grow even much faster from now on', she added.
During her four-day official visit to Malaysia from May 1, Osmani has expressed Kosovo's readiness to collaborate with Malaysia in areas such as cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and disaster response and education among others.
She also conferred Anwar with the Order of Independence, Kosovo's highest civilian award, in recognition of Malaysia's unwavering support for Kosovo's statehood and for his steadfast commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between both countries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
35 minutes ago
- The Star
M'sia is first in Asean to offer TVET accreditation
Future readiness: Ahmad Zahid speaking during a press conference at the Asean TVET Council 4th Regional Policy Dialogue. — Bernama MELAKA: Malaysia has become the first Asean country to offer accreditation recognition for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), marking a major step forward in harmonising skills certification across member nations, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The Deputy Prime Minister said the initiative was agreed upon during a meeting with ministers and senior officials from the region, aimed at aligning and coordinating accreditation standards. 'We have held meetings with ministers and senior officials from all Asean member states to ensure that accreditation for the TVET industry can be standardised and we have reached a consensus. 'Malaysia will take the lead as the first nation to offer this form of accreditation for acceptance throughout Asean,' he told a press conference at the Asean TVET Council 4th Regional Policy Dialogue yesterday. Ahmad Zahid said the government is currently aligning TVET courses with the evolving needs of industry players to ensure their continued relevance and to make them a preferred option for students pursuing higher education. 'We hope this will continue to shift the mindset of parents, who previously regarded TVET courses as a last resort for their children,' he said. Earlier in his speech, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister touched on the need for Asean to bridge the skills gap by promoting industry-driven, demand-based training programmes. He emphasised the importance of shaping a regional talent pipeline aligned with the needs of factories, plantations and emerging green industries. To achieve this, he said, industries must co-develop training modules, share apprenticeship opportunities and open up cross-border job prospects. 'We must also develop TVET as a comprehensive ecosystem by aligning education, industry, infrastructure, certification and digital access, all guided by data,' he said. As Asean Chair this year, Ahmad Zahid reiterated Malaysia's readiness to coordinate and lead the way. 'We propose the formalisation of Malaysia as the Asean TVET certification and excellence hub. We look forward to the full support of all member states in making this a shared regional legacy,' he said. He added that TVET is no longer peripheral but is central to national economic strategies. 'In this global race for relevance, skills are the new currency. Malaysia is not only championing skills development but also laying the foundation for Asean to emerge as a TVET powerhouse. 'Let us work together to ensure TVET remains accessible, relevant and future-proof for all. Let us commit to building an Asean where no talent is left untapped and no community left behind,' he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will officiate the National TVET Day 2025 celebration today.
The Star
35 minutes ago
- The Star
Unemployment rate at 10-year low
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's unemployment rate dropped from 3.1% in March to 3% in April, the lowest in 10 years, according to the Statistics of the Labour Force Malaysia for April 2025 released by the Statistics Department. Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the number of unemployed persons decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 525,900 persons in April this year, compared to 529,600 persons in March. 'The country's promising economic position has contributed to stable progress in labour force during the April, with an increase in the number of employed persons and higher labour force participation rates, while unemployment continues to decrease,' he said in a statement yesterday. He said the labour force continued its upward trend in April, increasing by 0.2 percentage points to 17.34 million persons compared to 17.31 million persons in March. 'Consequently, the labour force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 70.8% compared to 70.7% in March, indicating more labour participation,' he said, Bernama reported. In terms of the economic sector, Mohd Uzir said the services sector remained a key driver of employment growth, particularly in wholesale and retail trade, accommodation, food and beverage services, as well as transportation and storage activities. He added that positive trends were also recorded across the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, as well as mining and quarrying sectors. Mohd Uzir said the unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 24 was unchanged at 10.3% in April, with 298,300 unemployed youths. He said the number of persons outside the labour force rose by 0.2 percentage points to 7.17 million persons in April compared to 7.16 million persons in the preceding month, mainly due to housework and family responsibilities accounting for 43.7%, followed by schooling and training at 41.1%. Mohd Uzir said the country's labour force is anticipated to remain optimistic and expand in the coming months, bolstered by strong economic policies and stable domestic demand. 'Despite the global geopolitical tensions, Malaysia's labour force is seen to remain resilient due to stable unemployment, the growing services sector and technology, as well as an increasing investment in digitalisation and automation,' he added.
Daily Express
40 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Vertical schools in housing projects to help reduce transport costs
Published on: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Anwar said this approach underscores the government's commitment to promoting holistic well-being for the people, rather than focusing solely on physical structures and architectural design. Kuala Lumpur: The integration of a vertical school concept within the Rumah Bakat MADANI housing project in Penang is expected to enhance student safety and ease the transportation cost burden on families, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Minister said that incorporating educational elements into residential development is part of the MADANI Government's initiative to build compassionate neighbourhoods and foster community development based on MADANI values. Advertisement Anwar said this approach underscores the government's commitment to promoting holistic well-being for the people, rather than focusing solely on physical structures and architectural design. 'The planned vertical school element, integrated with the housing project, aims to ensure student safety, and I believe it can also help families save on transportation costs,' he said in a Facebook post today. He also stressed that the MADANI Government places strong emphasis on expediting project approvals through collaboration across ministries, agencies and with the involvement of state governments. Anwar said the project is an initiative involving private developer SkyWorld, aimed at enabling low- and middle-income groups to own affordable homes. 'I was informed that the development will also include essential infrastructure and comprehensive facilities such as schools and childcare centres, surau, commercial spaces, as well as landscaped areas and parks,' he said. Earlier, the Prime Minister attended a presentation session on the project concept with the developer's representatives in Putrajaya.
