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Serbia risks EU security by granting Russians citizenship

Politiko 2026-06-11 18:07:47

Serbia risks EU security by granting Russians citizenship

The European Union is concerned about the phenomenon of granting Serbian citizenship to Russian citizens, who can then travel to the EU without visas.

According to European Union officials, this also poses a threat to the security of EU countries, as among the Russian citizens who obtain Serbian citizenship there may be dangerous individuals.


The European Union has repeatedly called on Serbia to stop this practice and also to align its visa policy with that of the EU.

On Thursday, the European Commission also expressed concern about this, recalling that the remarks were also given to Serbia in the progress reports. This was stated by the EU's spokesperson for enlargement, Guillaume Mercier, reports from Brussels for Koha, Augustin Palokaj.

"Last year's report also stated that, in particular, the granting of visa-free travel to the EU by Russian citizens, through the granting of Serbian citizenship, poses potential threats to the security of the European Union," the spokesperson said.

There has been information in the media that among the Russians who are granted Serbian citizenship through quick and dubious procedures, there may also be dangerous individuals who are on the EU sanctions list.

European officials confirm that they are in dialogue with Serbia on the issue and hope to reach a solution as soon as possible. Serbia also continues to face criticism for its refusal to support European Union sanctions against Russia.

The EU has also criticized Serbia for the very slow process of establishing visas for citizens of countries that require visas to enter the EU. A few years ago, Serbia also lifted visas for several countries, such as Iran, Burundi and others, to reward them for their stances against Kosovo's independence.


The call for the alignment of visa policies with those of the EU has been made to all countries in the Western Balkans region. The aim is to ensure that these countries do not serve as transit points for illegal immigration to the European Union countries. Those countries that do not align their visa policies with those of the EU will also risk visa liberalization for their citizens.

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