Serbia "to pay costs incurred by asylum seekers"

BELGRADE Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic says that a reintroduction of visas would have "grave consequences" for Serbia - but also for the European Union (EU). As a way out of the present situation, the premier suggested on Monday for the country to pay the costs incurred by some 10,000 fake asylum seekers who are currently in the EU. Serbia "to pay costs incurred by asylum seekers" "This is about less than 10,000 asylum seekers in all of Europe. We will pay the costs for those 10,000, because that would be less damaging than the abolition (sic) of visas," Dacic was quoted as saying during a break in a conference in Belgrade dedicated to human trafficking in the region. The visa-free travel in the Schengen zone is the only concrete thing the Serbian citizens have seen from the EU in the past several years, the prime minister stressed. He noted that a majority of asylum seekers with Serbian passports were ethnic Roma (Gypsy) and Albanians, and that a solution would be to "make changes in their living environment, which is a long-term process". "If we were to throw Roma and Albanians out of buses (traveling abroad) - that would not meet with the approval of the European Union," added Dacic. The prime minister also said that the Serbian authorities had requested to be given lists of names of persons who had left the country to seek asylum in the EU. He told reporters that "everything will be done so that the visa liberalization is not abolished", and that this will be a subject during his talks with EU officials. A working group set up to deal with the fake asylum seekers issue will meet on Tuesday or Wednesday, he announced. "We (Serbia and the EU) have done a lot together, and I don't know why somebody would be using Serbia and Macedonia as examples of countries that should have the visas revoked," Dacic was quoted as saying. Belgium is one of the countries mentioned in reports as looking for a way to reintroduce visas for Serbia and Macedonia independently of the current EU policy. The country's ambassador in Belgrade, who attended the same conference on Monday, said that Belgium was in favor of a visa-free regime for Serbia. "We wish for Serbia to be a part of the European system and we like to travel to Serbia without visas," Alain Kundycki was quoted as saying. The diplomat also said that Serbia had made positive headway in solving the problem - but that it had not yet been solved. "The Serbian prime minister recently met with Belgian officials and we said then that we appreciated the efforts that Serbia was making," Kundycki stated, and added that the responsibility for fake asylum seekers "was not being transfered to countries such as Serbia", said Beta news agency in its report. "It is true that immigrants represent a burden for immigration services of European countries. It's a tough case and we wish to see it solved," the ambassador said, and added that Serbia was one of the countries that provided a safe environment for its citizens, and where human rights were not endangered. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) "Vucic convinced" First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday he was convinced Serbia's visa-free regime would not be jeopardized and the problem with asylum seekers would be resolved. Noting that the number of Serbian citizens seeking asylum in the EU has gone down, Vucic told reporters that controls would be intensified. Vucic said he had discussed the problem with German Ambassador in Belgrade Heinz Wilhelm two days ago and that there was a fear the visa-free regime could be suspended, but that he was convinced this would not happen. He said the issue of asylum seekers was not political but technical, and that it was important to be careful "that the human rights of these people are not violated." According to the data of the Serbian government, last year the number of asylum requests rose only in Switzerland, while dropping in other countries compared to earlier years. In Germany, 4,500 Serbian citizens sought asylum last year, while 450 have applied for asylum in Belgium and 290 in Luxembourg in the first nine months of this year. Beta Tanjug

Serbia "to pay costs incurred by asylum seekers"

"This is about less than 10,000 asylum seekers in all of Europe. We will pay the costs for those 10,000, because that would be less damaging than the abolition (sic) of visas," Dačić was quoted as saying during a break in a conference in Belgrade dedicated to human trafficking in the region.

The visa-free travel in the Schengen zone is the only concrete thing the Serbian citizens have seen from the EU in the past several years, the prime minister stressed.

He noted that a majority of asylum seekers with Serbian passports were ethnic Roma (Gypsy) and Albanians, and that a solution would be to "make changes in their living environment, which is a long-term process".

"If we were to throw Roma and Albanians out of buses (traveling abroad) - that would not meet with the approval of the European Union," added Dačić.

The prime minister also said that the Serbian authorities had requested to be given lists of names of persons who had left the country to seek asylum in the EU.

He told reporters that "everything will be done so that the visa liberalization is not abolished", and that this will be a subject during his talks with EU officials.

A working group set up to deal with the fake asylum seekers issue will meet on Tuesday or Wednesday, he announced.

"We (Serbia and the EU) have done a lot together, and I don't know why somebody would be using Serbia and Macedonia as examples of countries that should have the visas revoked," Dačić was quoted as saying.

Belgium is one of the countries mentioned in reports as looking for a way to reintroduce visas for Serbia and Macedonia independently of the current EU policy. The country's ambassador in Belgrade, who attended the same conference on Monday, said that Belgium was in favor of a visa-free regime for Serbia.

"We wish for Serbia to be a part of the European system and we like to travel to Serbia without visas," Alain Kundycki was quoted as saying.

The diplomat also said that Serbia had made positive headway in solving the problem - but that it had not yet been solved.

"The Serbian prime minister recently met with Belgian officials and we said then that we appreciated the efforts that Serbia was making," Kundycki stated, and added that the responsibility for fake asylum seekers "was not being transfered to countries such as Serbia", said Beta news agency in its report.

"It is true that immigrants represent a burden for immigration services of European countries. It's a tough case and we wish to see it solved," the ambassador said, and added that Serbia was one of the countries that provided a safe environment for its citizens, and where human rights were not endangered.

"Vučić convinced"

First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić said on Monday he was convinced Serbia's visa-free regime would not be jeopardized and the problem with asylum seekers would be resolved.

Noting that the number of Serbian citizens seeking asylum in the EU has gone down, Vučić told reporters that controls would be intensified.

Vučić said he had discussed the problem with German Ambassador in Belgrade Heinz Wilhelm two days ago and that there was a fear the visa-free regime could be suspended, but that he was convinced this would not happen.

He said the issue of asylum seekers was not political but technical, and that it was important to be careful "that the human rights of these people are not violated."

According to the data of the Serbian government, last year the number of asylum requests rose only in Switzerland, while dropping in other countries compared to earlier years. In Germany, 4,500 Serbian citizens sought asylum last year, while 450 have applied for asylum in Belgium and 290 in Luxembourg in the first nine months of this year.