Mechanism for reintroduction of visas adopted

Being next to Albania is the Cross we have to bear.

It is interesting that some of those who voted believe that this mechanism has the potential to limit freedom of movement for Western Balkan nationals, not least because this freedom does not exist even with a visa free regime. These MEPs are falling into the same trap as many citizens of the WB countries in thinking that the absence of a visa requirement means that people can travel wherever they like whenever they like unhindered; it does not. EU member states deal with many millions of non-visa nationals every year from all over the world and retain the right to examine each of these about their intentions in wishing to enter the country in question. The only thing that changes with the relaxing of visas rules is that the questions are asked at the border/airport not at an Embassy in the home country. In some ways it is better to be refused a visa in Sarajevo, Belgrade or Tirana than to travel to Germany, France, Spain etc and then be turned back at the border with no compensation for expense incurred. Of course there is the 'wounded pride' argument about the stigma of having to queue for a visa but the same pride would take a very serious knock should a person be refused entry to an EU member state. I know this because I was that dastardly immigration officer many thousands of times in the 1990s and people do not usually react well to being told that they cannot enter.

Noooo! Please tell me Serbian citizens will not go back to applying for visas to visit Schengen countries!! That's a CATASTROPHY!

What kind of 'temporary' do they mean? Is this period defined in time and can it repeated consecutively ad nauseaum so in effect it becomes much, much longer?

Serbia decreased the number of illegal azilants 3 times in the past year so i think that Serbia will have no problems with visas.

It's more difficult to get a five years visa for Serbia than a ten years visa for France, believe me!

I know it won't happen, yet if such news keeps repeating more and more Gypsies will go and claim asylum in the EU before the visas are reintroduced, therefore, please stop posting news about it, it's only Serbian news agencies, not Macedonian, not Bosnian, I mean come on! Just leave it, the commission will not reintroduce visas for Serbian citizens, just stop worrying will you?

What kind of 'temporary' do they mean? Is this period defined in time and can it repeated consecutively ad nauseaum so in effect it becomes much, much longer?
(EU Dude, 12 September 2013 15:11)

El Dudo,

Yes, Yes and Yes!

I would say two things to my co-posters to try to reassure them. Firstly, the EU has a history of bluster and threats that are not carried out including in Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Bosnia. The last of these related to conditions for the signing of an SAA which the political elite in BiH did not meet. Miraculously they still had their SAA initialisation. Secondly, there is little any country can do to prevent its citizens from leaving; we are not still in cold war Iron Curtain 'exit visa' mode. Airlines and other carriers have obligations to ensure that people travelling abroad are in possession of the correct documentation, notably a valid passport, but governments have very limited control of the situation and shouldn't therefore be held responsible for it. It would be instructive if those complaining about the so-called influx of asylum seekers could draw up a list of measures that they believe will alleviate the situation. I can tell you now that they will struggle to do so. I have sat with other experts in this field and pondered this dilemma over many woeful cups of Bosnian coffee and made very little progress. To give a country a date for the start of membership negotiations and re-impose visas at the same time would be ridiculous even by EU standards. (That's three things not two, sorry).

I was watching a documentary last night on the disgusting behavior of the French vis-a-vis their treatment of the Roma. Funny how the French consider themselves to be so liberal and humanitarian but it seems that does not apply to certain cadres. Their famous french nationality precludes any racism in France of course. The reality is of course completely different. To quote a friend of mine who has spent many years there, "I never said a racist word before I came here. This place grinds you down."

No mention that these unwanted 'gypos' are not just those coming from Romania, but also all those permanently expelled from Kosovo and Bosnia but the right side. Brussels and the Western Powers see it perfectly within international human rights that these people are effectively denied the right to return home, something that has been demanded for Bosnia.

Bigotry in the name of not upsetting their inconvenient allies. At least in the ex-SFRY, most roma were settled and tolerated, but Brussels and the human rights crowd is happy to stuff them in to camps in Montenegro (Konik) and Serbia and throw a few million euros at the problem to go away. It is the most extraordinarily shameful behavior by the world upholders of human rights, but the media and their liberal fans don't care either. Case closed. All the West wants to do now is save money by pulling troops out of Kosovo. If only the damn minorities would lie down and shut up, if not die. Such pests!

Being next to Albania is the Cross we have to bear.

Serbia decreased the number of illegal azilants 3 times in the past year so i think that Serbia will have no problems with visas.

What kind of 'temporary' do they mean? Is this period defined in time and can it repeated consecutively ad nauseaum so in effect it becomes much, much longer?

Noooo! Please tell me Serbian citizens will not go back to applying for visas to visit Schengen countries!! That's a CATASTROPHY!

I know it won't happen, yet if such news keeps repeating more and more Gypsies will go and claim asylum in the EU before the visas are reintroduced, therefore, please stop posting news about it, it's only Serbian news agencies, not Macedonian, not Bosnian, I mean come on! Just leave it, the commission will not reintroduce visas for Serbian citizens, just stop worrying will you?

What kind of 'temporary' do they mean? Is this period defined in time and can it repeated consecutively ad nauseaum so in effect it becomes much, much longer?
(EU Dude, 12 September 2013 15:11)

El Dudo,

Yes, Yes and Yes!

It is interesting that some of those who voted believe that this mechanism has the potential to limit freedom of movement for Western Balkan nationals, not least because this freedom does not exist even with a visa free regime. These MEPs are falling into the same trap as many citizens of the WB countries in thinking that the absence of a visa requirement means that people can travel wherever they like whenever they like unhindered; it does not. EU member states deal with many millions of non-visa nationals every year from all over the world and retain the right to examine each of these about their intentions in wishing to enter the country in question. The only thing that changes with the relaxing of visas rules is that the questions are asked at the border/airport not at an Embassy in the home country. In some ways it is better to be refused a visa in Sarajevo, Belgrade or Tirana than to travel to Germany, France, Spain etc and then be turned back at the border with no compensation for expense incurred. Of course there is the 'wounded pride' argument about the stigma of having to queue for a visa but the same pride would take a very serious knock should a person be refused entry to an EU member state. I know this because I was that dastardly immigration officer many thousands of times in the 1990s and people do not usually react well to being told that they cannot enter.

I would say two things to my co-posters to try to reassure them. Firstly, the EU has a history of bluster and threats that are not carried out including in Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Bosnia. The last of these related to conditions for the signing of an SAA which the political elite in BiH did not meet. Miraculously they still had their SAA initialisation. Secondly, there is little any country can do to prevent its citizens from leaving; we are not still in cold war Iron Curtain 'exit visa' mode. Airlines and other carriers have obligations to ensure that people travelling abroad are in possession of the correct documentation, notably a valid passport, but governments have very limited control of the situation and shouldn't therefore be held responsible for it. It would be instructive if those complaining about the so-called influx of asylum seekers could draw up a list of measures that they believe will alleviate the situation. I can tell you now that they will struggle to do so. I have sat with other experts in this field and pondered this dilemma over many woeful cups of Bosnian coffee and made very little progress. To give a country a date for the start of membership negotiations and re-impose visas at the same time would be ridiculous even by EU standards. (That's three things not two, sorry).

I was watching a documentary last night on the disgusting behavior of the French vis-a-vis their treatment of the Roma. Funny how the French consider themselves to be so liberal and humanitarian but it seems that does not apply to certain cadres. Their famous french nationality precludes any racism in France of course. The reality is of course completely different. To quote a friend of mine who has spent many years there, "I never said a racist word before I came here. This place grinds you down."

No mention that these unwanted 'gypos' are not just those coming from Romania, but also all those permanently expelled from Kosovo and Bosnia but the right side. Brussels and the Western Powers see it perfectly within international human rights that these people are effectively denied the right to return home, something that has been demanded for Bosnia.

Bigotry in the name of not upsetting their inconvenient allies. At least in the ex-SFRY, most roma were settled and tolerated, but Brussels and the human rights crowd is happy to stuff them in to camps in Montenegro (Konik) and Serbia and throw a few million euros at the problem to go away. It is the most extraordinarily shameful behavior by the world upholders of human rights, but the media and their liberal fans don't care either. Case closed. All the West wants to do now is save money by pulling troops out of Kosovo. If only the damn minorities would lie down and shut up, if not die. Such pests!

It's more difficult to get a five years visa for Serbia than a ten years visa for France, believe me!