Visa Haggling Continues for Albania, Bosnia

Published: October 20, 2010

Media in Bosnia are reporting that visa requirements for Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be officially lifted at the EU interior ministers meetings scheduled for 8-9 November, in order be put into effect by the end of this year. The media cited Western diplomatic sources ensuring that a positive decision will be passed, but would include some additional requirements by certain EU countries, those details to this end were vague.

In September, the European Commission is assessment of the two countries’ readiness for visa liberalization to EU member states and the European Parliament. In that assessment, the EC said that both Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina had met the remaining conditions for lifting visa requirements. The EC then presented to the European Parliament and Council of Ministers a working document, stating that the two countries had taken all measures necessary to meet the outstanding issues from the Road Map. Earlier this month, the European Parliament approved visa liberalization for Bosnia and Albania, with 538 votes in favor and 47 against.

Still, there are some European countries that remain opposed to the move, saying that the Western European nations will have to deal with the immigration and security issues resulting from the lifting of visa barriers for citizens of the Western Balkans.

It now looks as though Germany, Denmark, and Belgium will side with the France in opposition to granting Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina visa liberalization. In fact, these are the countries that have been most affected by the first round of Western Balkan visa liberalization. Since Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia were granted a visa-free regime last year, France, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium have seen increased cases of asylum seekers.

Several EU countries have complained about the jump in the number of asylum seekers, which have primarily been ethnic Albanians and Roma from Serbia and Macedonia. Belgium and Sweden have reported a sharp rise in asylum seekers from Macedonia and Serbia through several tour agencies offering asylum in EU countries. Norway deported more than 250 asylum seekers from Serbia since visa-free travel was put into force last December.