EU to ease visa restrictions for Balkans: Slovenia
(BRDO PRI KRANJU) - Slovenia expects the European Union to liberalise its visa regime for one or more Balkan states by the end of this year, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said Wednesday.
"We expect visa liberalisation for one or more than one (Balkan) states by year-end," Zbogar said, without naming any country.
Currently the citizens of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia need visas to travel to the EU.
The easing would entail an abolition of visas for short-term stays, as is already the case for Croatia.
The first discussions would likely be held even under the Czech EU presidency, which runs until June, Zbogar said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a Central Europe Regional Partnership meeting here attended by ministers and representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The Balkan states had also been invited but only Kosovo sent its foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, with others citing the ongoing visit of US Vice President Joe Biden.
At the meeting, the countries pledged their support for "all steps that will simplify communication between citizens, including visa liberalisation and new scholarships for students," Zbogar said.
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