Serbia Dismisses Reports of Ending Visa-Free Travel for Russians
نظرة سريعة
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has denied reports that Serbia will end its visa-free travel agreement with Russia, reaffirming close ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine and complicating EU accession talks.
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لماذا يهم
Serbia maintains close ties with Russia, including a visa-free travel agreement, which complicates its aspirations to join the European Union. Reports suggested Serbia might end this arrangement, but President Vučić has denied this.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dismissed reports that Belgrade would end visa-free travel for Russian citizens, reaffirming the country’s close ties with Moscow despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The comments came after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov weighed in on reports that Serbia could scrap its visa-free regime with Russia, warning that such decisions are usually reciprocal. Moscow’s ambassador in Belgrade, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, argued the arrangement remains highly beneficial for Serbia.
“This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing,” Vučić said during an appearance on TV Prva’s Ćirilica. The Serbian leader said he had personally contacted Ana Brnabić, the president of the National Assembly, to ask whether any such initiative had entered the legislative process.
“There are many who, ahead of the elections, are expecting support from the Russian Federation and are trying in any way to say the worst things about us,” Vučić said. “There is no talk of that, nor will such a decision be made. Even if they were to make it, it would be immediately revoked.”
Belgrade’s close relations with Moscow are increasingly complicating its ambitions to join the EU.
Serbia became an official EU candidate in 2012 and opened accession talks in 2014, but its membership bid has since stalled. In April, Brussels said Serbia risked losing up to €1.5 billion in EU funding due to concerns over democratic backsliding and its ties to Moscow.
In May, Brnabić complained that the EU had changed its rules on enlargement since the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
أسئلة مفتوحة
- Will the EU impose further sanctions or conditions on Serbia due to its ties with Russia?
- What specific pressures is Serbia facing from the EU regarding its relationship with Moscow?
- What are the potential economic consequences for Serbia if EU funding is reduced or suspended?
