The EU Commission has repeatedly expressed concern about Serbia’s practice of granting citizenship to Russian citizens under the accelerated procedure. This allows these citizens to enter the Schengen area without a visa. The reason for the concern lies in the possible security risks for the Union. A spokesman for the EU Commission called on Serbia to revise its visa policy with regard to Russia and to no longer issue citizenships in an urgent procedure.

Serbia, as a candidate country for EU accession, is expected to adapt its policies and decisions to EU directives. According to SchengenVisaInfo.com, the authorities are aware of the large number of Russian citizens in Serbia, especially after the clashes between Russia and Ukraine. The Commission is closely monitoring the situation and is exchanging information with the Serbian authorities.

Serbia risks own visa exemption

It remains unclear what steps the EU Commission will take if Serbia does not reconsider its visa policy. As early as May this year, the EU had expressed concerns about Serbia’s practice of granting citizenship to citizens of other countries using a simplified procedure. SchengenVisaInfo.com quotes a spokesman as stressing that Serbia is risking its visa-free deal with the EU.

In addition to the citizenship issue, EU countries are also complaining about a growing number of illegal migrants entering the EU via Serbia. This has sparked calls for Serbia to introduce stricter entry rules for everyone.