EU proposes easy visas for Kosovo citizens

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday that EU governments lift visa requirements for travelers from Kosovo, allowing those with biometric passports to spend 90 days in the Schengen area without a visa. "Kosovo has made great progress," Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told reporters, adding that he hoped governments and the European Parliament would approve the proposal quickly. Kosovo, with a population of 1.8 million joins Turkey, Ukraine and Georgia in a current crop of neighboring countries in the process of being added to a list of those whose citizens do not require prior visa approval to travel to Europe. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will meet the leaders of Kosovo and address its parliament on Thursday, the Commission said in a statement. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald)