European Forum

Three Balkan countries get visa-free travel to the EU from 19 December

EU member states decided on Monday (December 1st ) to grant visa-free travel to nationals of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia when entering the bloc’s Schengen area, as of 19 December. The date for lifting the visa requirements was brought forward from 1 January, 2010, as a good will gesture, so that nationals of the three countries will be able to travel freely during the winter festive season. The decision has been hotly anticipated, and all three countries have had to meet rigorous border and migration requirements.

Visa free regime
Under the agreement, citizens from Serbia, the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia and Montenegro will be able to travel visa-free for a period of 90 days within six months in all the 25 countries of the Schengen area. They must, nevertheless, have a biometric passport. London, however, will be still off-limits for the new visa-free travellers, as Britain is not part of the common border-free area.

EU praises decision
EU ministers and officials hailed the decision as proof that the links between these three countries and the EU have been strengthened. EU Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, said the move was a "big step in terms of EU integration and Europeanisation of the civil societies in these countries" and added that the other Balkan countries could join the visa-free regime once they met the conditions. “By simplifying the mobility of the citizens of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, the EU will further foster the contacts between the Union and these countries and open a new era in our cooperation,’ said Vice President of the European Commission Jacques Barrot. Ministers pointed out that further visa liberalisation in the region is possible. ‘Dialogue should continue with Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina and we hope to make the same proposal for those two countries by mid 2010 once they fulfil necessary criteria,’ said Barrot.

Balkan happy about new travel opportunities
Governments, opposition and ordinary people in the three Balkan countries welcomed the news, seeing it as an opportunity to increase movement and as an incentive for their countries to pursue the reforms necessary to enter the EU. Macedonia's government said the move is ''a huge practical gain for the citizens that will allow increased mobility, exchange of ideas and cooperation in all fields''. Meanwhile several hundred people waving Macedonian and EU flags gathered in front of the Parliament and the Government buildings in Skopje to celebrate the event. Serbian President Boris Tadic said that putting Serbia on the white Schengen list is one of the first steps towards its full integration into the EU. "We promised the citizens that we will achieve the abolition of visas, and we are now fulfilling our obligation," Tadic said. In Belgrade, the move is of particular importance to students interested in EU affairs, said Sonja Licht, head of the Belgrade fund for Political Excellence, an NGO funded by the Council of Europe. “So far students could not afford to travel abroad, and with queuing for days in order to get a visa, they would feel as second-rate citizens. It was a wrong introduction to EU values, to openness and democracy," she pointed out.

Macedonia leading, but no breakthrough in ‘name-row’
Macedonia has made the most progress among the three countries, according to the Commission's assessment earlier this year on how it manages document security, illegal immigration, public order, external relations and human rights.

Skopje has also met all the criteria for opening EU accession negotiations. But these have been put on hold by the name dispute with Athens, which is against the term 'Macedonia' being used by its neighbour, as it also refers to a Greek region. Talks between the Macedonian and the Greek PM on 27 November saw no announcements of a breakthrough, but Mr Rehn expressed optimism that "we are heading towards opening accession negotiations" at a meeting of EU leaders next week.

Albania and BiH still lacking behind; Kosovo not on the list
Meanwhile, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina were deemed to have not yet made enough progress to trigger the lifting of visas. EU leaders and Commissioners encouraged both countries to step up their efforts so that "one day all citizens from the Balkans can travel without visas", said Swedish Minister of Interior, Tobias Billstrom. Kosovo is still not on the list, as not all EU members have recognised its independence. But Mr Barrot stressed that efforts were being made to facilitate visa procedures.


Sources: Balkan Insight; B92; EUObserver