Bosnia takes hurdle for visa-free travel
(SARAJEVO) - Sarajevo on Thursday adopted new regulations on the functioning of a central security body, clearing an important hurdle for Bosnian nationals to apply for visa-free travel to the European Union.
The new regulations are aimed at strenghthening the body which coordinates the work of state security and police officials who deal with war crimes, corruption and organised crime.
It was one of the last EU conditions for a removal of visa requirements for Bosnian nationals, expected by the end of the year.
Representatives of the international community and the EU hailed the government decision.
"The adoption of the rulebook ... was one of the outstanding conditions of the visa liberalisation dialogue," read a joint statement by the High representative Valentin Inzko, the head of the EU police mission to Bosnia, Stefan Feller, and the charge d'affaires of the EU delegation, Boris Iarochevitch.
In order to meet all EU requirements for visa-free travels, Bosnia still has to appoint a director for its anti-corruption body.
In December the EU lifted visa requirements for Bosnia's neighbours Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, all former Yugoslav republics, which allows their nationals to travel freely within the Schengen zone.
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