“No initiative to reintroduce EU visas for Serbia”

European Commission Spokesman Martin Grabiec told B92 that there is no initiative within the EU to suspend Serbia’s visa-free regime. Experts will publish their report on fulfillment of obligations in June. “No initiative to reintroduce EU visas for Serbia” “Even if Belgium really requested suspension of the visa-free regime it would be necessary to hold a debate and get consent from all member states,” Grabiec pointed out. So-called false asylum seekers from Serbia represent a problem and Belgium has therefore requested from the EC to reconsider Serbia’s visa liberalization. The EC has launched a procedure aimed at introducing an overall European mechanism of visa-free regime suspension primarily due to large inflow of immigrants from North Africa. Grabiec said that the EU was carefully monitoring the countries which had been accepted into the visa-free regime and checking whether they were complying with the conditions from the agreement and if there was any abuse. One such mission finished its work in Belgrade last Friday and its experts will present their report on Serbia in Brussels in June. However, the issue of false asylum seekers does not only refer to the Western Balkan countries and the EU is very concerned about the increased number of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees from the African countries and the Mediterranean. The EU transport commissioner said that the Schengen Agreement was an excellent idea but that it should be additionally protected with control mechanisms and that one of those mechanisms would have a possibility to temporarily suspend visa liberalization in case abuse was proved, Belgian press reported. Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic has stated that the EU Council of Ministers is to discuss the initiative of certain European countries to introduce a mechanism for interim suspension of visa liberalization either on May 24 or June 9. “In case the number of bogus asylum seekers continues to grow, certain countries would be able to request the introduction of such a mechanism,” he told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS). The Serbian government has introduced long- and short-term measures aimed at reducing the number of false asylum seekers and Serbian police have arrested 24 persons for issuing fake passports.

“No initiative to reintroduce EU visas for Serbia”

“Even if Belgium really requested suspension of the visa-free regime it would be necessary to hold a debate and get consent from all member states,” Grabiec pointed out.

So-called false asylum seekers from Serbia represent a problem and Belgium has therefore requested from the EC to reconsider Serbia’s visa liberalization. The EC has launched a procedure aimed at introducing an overall European mechanism of visa-free regime suspension primarily due to large inflow of immigrants from North Africa.

Grabiec said that the EU was carefully monitoring the countries which had been accepted into the visa-free regime and checking whether they were complying with the conditions from the agreement and if there was any abuse. One such mission finished its work in Belgrade last Friday and its experts will present their report on Serbia in Brussels in June.

However, the issue of false asylum seekers does not only refer to the Western Balkan countries and the EU is very concerned about the increased number of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees from the African countries and the Mediterranean.

The EU transport commissioner said that the Schengen Agreement was an excellent idea but that it should be additionally protected with control mechanisms and that one of those mechanisms would have a possibility to temporarily suspend visa liberalization in case abuse was proved, Belgian press reported.

Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dačić has stated that the EU Council of Ministers is to discuss the initiative of certain European countries to introduce a mechanism for interim suspension of visa liberalization either on May 24 or June 9.

“In case the number of bogus asylum seekers continues to grow, certain countries would be able to request the introduction of such a mechanism,” he told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS).

The Serbian government has introduced long- and short-term measures aimed at reducing the number of false asylum seekers and Serbian police have arrested 24 persons for issuing fake passports.