Serbia to introduce "measures" for EU-bound citizens

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic today in Belgrade announced a tighter control of the Serbian citizens traveling to the EU member states. He explained that they will be checked for sufficient funds, return tickets and travel insurance. Serbia to introduce "measures" for EU-bound citizens After his meeting with Belgium's State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Policy Melchior Wathelet, Dacic told the journalists that such measures were "not aimed at harassing the citizens", but rather at "preventing the departure of false asylum seekers to the EU, so as not to jeopardize the country's visa liberalization". Dacic mentioned the seizure of passports and bans on leaving the country as some of the possible measures to be taken against those who abuse the right to asylum. Wathelet said that the number of asylum seekers from Serbia in the EU countries is still large, noting, however, that the number has reduced in the past several months. He welcomed the new measures taken by Serbia, including the stricter border control, as well as the sanctions against tourist agencies which organize transfer of asylum seekers to the EU countries. Wathelet is the Belgian official who placed the spotlight on the issue of false asylum seekers coming to the EU from Serbia. Wathelet recently sent a letter to the European Commission asking for a reassessment of whether Serbia respected its obligations related to the visa-free travel regime. The letter said that Belgium would ask for the regime, related to the so-called Schengen zone, to be canceled unless the number of false asylum seekers coming from Serbia decreased. Wathelet and Dacic in Belgrade on Monday (Beta)

Serbia to introduce "measures" for EU-bound citizens

After his meeting with Belgium's State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Policy Melchior Wathelet, Dačić told the journalists that such measures were "not aimed at harassing the citizens", but rather at "preventing the departure of false asylum seekers to the EU, so as not to jeopardize the country's visa liberalization".

Dačić mentioned the seizure of passports and bans on leaving the country as some of the possible measures to be taken against those who abuse the right to asylum.

Wathelet said that the number of asylum seekers from Serbia in the EU countries is still large, noting, however, that the number has reduced in the past several months.

He welcomed the new measures taken by Serbia, including the stricter border control, as well as the sanctions against tourist agencies which organize transfer of asylum seekers to the EU countries.

Wathelet is the Belgian official who placed the spotlight on the issue of false asylum seekers coming to the EU from Serbia.

Wathelet recently sent a letter to the European Commission asking for a reassessment of whether Serbia respected its obligations related to the visa-free travel regime.

The letter said that Belgium would ask for the regime, related to the so-called Schengen zone, to be canceled unless the number of false asylum seekers coming from Serbia decreased.