Ending 'Ghettoisation' of the Western Balkans – Visa Liberalisation Prospects
Ending 'Ghettoisation' of the Western Balkans – Visa Liberalisation Prospects

Author(s): Biljana Kotevska
Subject(s): International Law, Civil Society, Governance, International relations/trade, Security and defense
Published by: Аналитика Тинк-тенк Организација
Keywords: Western Balkans; North Macedonia; Roadmap for Visa Free Travel; visa liberalisation; Visa Facilitation Agreements; security; migration management; border management;
Summary/Abstract: Ever since the European Commission [EC] handed over the Roadmap for Visa Free Travel to the Macedonian government in May 2008, visa liberalisation has been the topic of the year. There hasn't been a speech delivered by government officials, an issue of a newspaper or an event on integration held without mentioning the issue of visa liberalisation. Many reports have been written. Many researches as well as research projects have been conducted, assessing the process of visa facilitation, reviewing the fulfilment of the criteria set in the roadmap or evaluating the prospects for visa liberalisation for the near future. After so many writings on this process, a vast media coverage as well as political exploitation of the topic, what this report aims to do is to present a compact picture on the whole process up to date. It will start by presenting an overview of events preceding the visa liberalisation negotiations, through a short history of travelling for the citizens of the Western Balkans, and presenting what was to follow in the form of Visa Facilitation Agreements and their implementation. This will be followed by an intro on the visa liberalisation process and an overview of the current progress of Macedonia against the Roadmap benchmarks. Next, a brief explanation on how will the decision on visa liberalisation be made, as well as the "what ifs?” on a positive and on a negative opinion of the EC on Macedonia's progress on the visa issue. It will wrap up with recommendations on how to further progress with this process.

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