“W. Balkan countries likely to lose visa-free regime“

BELGRADE European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur Tanja Fajon says there is a possibility that some EU members will suspend the visa-free regime for Western Balkan countries. When asked which countries were most likely to lose the visa-free regime, she did not name any specific country but instead pointed to certain facts regarding the number of false asylum seekers from certain countries. “W. Balkan countries likely to lose visa-free regime“ “According to information about the number of false asylum seekers, they are most often citizens of Serbia and Macedonia and lately Bosnia-Herzegovina. The biggest problem has all the time been with minorities, therefore Roma. This is a very sensitive situation we need to solve together, one step at a time, in the dialogue with Brussels,” Fajon stressed and added that the governments of the Balkan countries were doing everything they were expected to do. She explained that the suspension of the visa-free regime could especially happen in the case of political and election campaign, like in Germany which will have parliamentary elections in the spring. Turkish Anadolu news agency says that it is possible that visas will likely be reintroduced for citizens of the Western Balkan countries in the beginning of 2013. Fajon noted that the latest information about the number of asylum seekers from the Western Balkan countries was alarming but that she hoped that the governments and citizens would do everything in their power to improve the situation and that human rights would not be violated. The visa-free regime was discussed at a session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU (COREPER) this week. “It is hard to estimate when and how the discussion will go on because this is new information. We had a discussion in the Council that rejected the EP’s proposal. Therefore, we do not have an agreement which means that a second round of the negotiations will start next year. It depends on how long the entire procedure will take. I do not expect that we will find some solution quickly because our positions are different,” Fajon told Anadolu. When asked to explain what was discussed at the COREPER session, she said that the EP’s proposal on reciprocity was on the agenda. “This is the same document that contains suspension of the visa-free regime. We had several open issues there. The EP proposed a draft on negotiations but EU ambassadors rejected it at the COREPER meeting on Monday. It means that we will continue the negotiations on the suspension mechanism next year. How fast it will take depends on Ireland which presides over the EU,” the EP rapporteur concluded. Tanjug

“W. Balkan countries likely to lose visa-free regime“

“According to information about the number of false asylum seekers, they are most often citizens of Serbia and Macedonia and lately Bosnia-Herzegovina. The biggest problem has all the time been with minorities, therefore Roma. This is a very sensitive situation we need to solve together, one step at a time, in the dialogue with Brussels,” Fajon stressed and added that the governments of the Balkan countries were doing everything they were expected to do.

She explained that the suspension of the visa-free regime could especially happen in the case of political and election campaign, like in Germany which will have parliamentary elections in the spring.

Turkish Anadolu news agency says that it is possible that visas will likely be reintroduced for citizens of the Western Balkan countries in the beginning of 2013.

Fajon noted that the latest information about the number of asylum seekers from the Western Balkan countries was alarming but that she hoped that the governments and citizens would do everything in their power to improve the situation and that human rights would not be violated.

The visa-free regime was discussed at a session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU (COREPER) this week.

“It is hard to estimate when and how the discussion will go on because this is new information. We had a discussion in the Council that rejected the EP’s proposal. Therefore, we do not have an agreement which means that a second round of the negotiations will start next year. It depends on how long the entire procedure will take. I do not expect that we will find some solution quickly because our positions are different,” Fajon told Anadolu.

When asked to explain what was discussed at the COREPER session, she said that the EP’s proposal on reciprocity was on the agenda.

“This is the same document that contains suspension of the visa-free regime. We had several open issues there. The EP proposed a draft on negotiations but EU ambassadors rejected it at the COREPER meeting on Monday. It means that we will continue the negotiations on the suspension mechanism next year. How fast it will take depends on Ireland which presides over the EU,” the EP rapporteur concluded.