European Forum

European Commission adopts visa free travel proposal for Western Balkans

The European Commission (EC) today adopted a proposal for granting visa free travel to the Western Balkans. This allows citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro to travel to the Schengen countries without visas. The proposal needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers after having consulted the European Parliament. If approved, the visa free regime will apply as early as from 1 January 2010.

“Today's proposal is a historic moment in our relations with the Western Balkans, and is the result of intensive and hard work for the authorities and the people of these countries in meeting the conditions. I congratulate them for this achievement", said EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

The EC also remains committed to visa liberalisation for the citizens of Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but due to unfulfilled EU conditions the EC did not include them in the proposal. According to Mr Barrot the two countries had not been included largely because they were further behind on the introduction of biometric passports. They have also been urged to crack down on organised crime and corruption, and improve border-control procedures. “If the speed of reforms will be maintained and all the conditions are fulfilled, the Commission could envisage making a new proposal including these countries by mid-2010”, said Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Also Kosovo was left out of the visa liberalisation process due to unfulfilled EU standards, mainly regarding security concerns, as was confirmed by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

In Bosnia, a mood of disappointment and disillusionment is in the air. Many people perceive the proposal as an indirect act of discrimination against Bosnian Muslims, because Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs have the opportunity to hold dual citizenship with Serbia and Croatia and can thus take advantage of the visa free regime. Also, the Green group in the European Parliament has strongly criticized EC’s proposal, saying it could potentially deepen the region's ethnic divisions.

The Schengen zone includes all EU member states, except the UK and Ireland; as well as Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.


Sources: European Commission; B92; BalkanInsight