In the fight against unwanted migration, according to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), the EU must put pressure on Serbia to change its visa policy. “Serbia must adapt its visa practice to the EU,” she said on Friday on the sidelines of an EU meeting in Luxembourg. She referred to the country’s EU membership ambitions. “They want something from the EU.” A uniform visa practice is a criterion for joining the EU.
“One of the most pressing issues that we have on the agenda is Serbia, because Serbia has a visa practice that is not very nice,” said Faeser. This is based on which states do not recognize Kosovo. “I don’t find that acceptable either.”
According to the EU border protection agency Frontex, 19,160 irregular entries were registered in September on the Western Balkan route, of which Serbia is also a part. That is twice as many as in the same month last year. According to the information, most migrants came from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey.
However, people from countries like Burundi or India also arrive in EU countries with which Serbia has visa agreements, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Friday. These have little chance of asylum in the EU. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic recently announced a change in visa policy by the end of the year, but did not name any other concrete steps. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade points out that although citizens from India and Burundi do not need a visa for Serbia, they do have to present documents about hotel bookings and the paid return flight upon entry.
