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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Readmission agreement forbids sudden return of Serbian asylum-seekers, illegal emigrants

Belgrade, 27 September 2007

Director of the EU Integration Office Tanja Miscevic stated that the Agreement on Readmission, which Serbia signed on September 18 and which should be enforced on January 1, 2008, does not allow the sudden return of asylum-seekers and illegal emigrants to Serbia.

At the round table discussion themed “Towards the White Schengen List”, Miscevic noted that citizens are poorly informed and do not understand what the agreements on visa relaxations and readmission imply.

She explained there won’t be a sudden return of a large number of asylum-seekers and illegal emigrants to Serbia, adding that at the most, 4,500 citizens will be returning each year, because conditions for the reintegration of returnees must be provided.

As for visa relaxations, the agreement envisages that citizens who for the first time apply for visas to Schengen countries will get them for a longer period and with more entries. She added that only three documents will be needed – a written statement saying they belong to a certain category, the letter of invitation and application for the Schengen visa.

Visas will be free-of-charge for certain categories, such as students, the academic and scientific community, journalists, sportspeople and people travelling for medical purposes, whereas businesspeople will pay half the current fee, specified Miscevic.

At the round table discussion, organised by the NGO “Group 484” with the support of the Fund for an Open Society, Advisor to the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Todorovic said that the signing of agreements on visa relaxations and readmission is a huge challenge for Serbia.

There isn’t a list of conditions Serbia should fulfil in order to enter the “Schengen system”, explained Todorovic and stressed that Serbian parliament must speed up its legislative procedure in order to pass the bills on asylum, movement of foreigners, protection of personal data and other legal acts.