Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians to get visa-free EU travel

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

Belgrade - Serbians, Macedonians and Montenegrins will be able to travel to most European Union countries without visas starting midnight Friday. The EU has decided to scrap the strict visa regime on November 30, 17 years after imposing it. At that time, wars raged in Croatia and Bosnia, as the Yugoslav federation was falling apart.

Brussels officials said the decision to place the three former Yugoslav republics on the so-called "white list" of nations on a visa-free regime was a signal affirming their European future.

All three are aspiring EU members, but only Macedonia has formally attained the status of a candidate. From the former Yugoslavia, Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, and Croatia is the next in line to join.

According to the new rules, visitors from the Balkans are allowed to stay in the EU for up to 90 days every six months.

They will also enjoy free travel to Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, which not EU member-states.

The visa-free regime for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro does not apply to certain EU countries: Great Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria and Romania.