Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The fifth post visa liberalisation report on the Western Balkans shows that more measures are necessary to maintain the integrity of the visa-free scheme and to address potential abuses of the EU asylum system.

Asylum abuse by citizens of the visa-free countries in the Western Balkans remains a considerable concern. The number of asylum applications submitted in the EU and Schengen-associated countries by nationals of the five visa-free Western Balkan countries has been steadily rising since visa liberalisation was achieved, peaking in 2013 at 53 705 applications. Figures for the first nine months of 2014 are 40 % higher than for the same period of 2013.

Serbian citizens remained the largest group of Western Balkan visa-free asylum-seekers in the EU and Schengen-associated countries (42 % in 2013), followed by citizens of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania (21 % each), citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (14 %) and citizens of Montenegro (2 %). At the same time, the asylum recognition rate across the EU and Schengen-associated countries continued to fall for all Western Balkan visa-free citizens, indicating that the overwhelming majority of applications remained manifestly unfounded.

Germany remains the largest recipient of Western Balkan visa-free asylum applications, with an increased share of the Western Balkan intake (from 12 % in 2009 to 75 % in the first nine months of 2014).

The entire press release is available at: europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4482_en.htm

Source: europa.rs