Serbia is discussing the abolition of the visa-free regime with Russia as part of its bid to join the EU
Serbian authorities have begun internal discussions regarding the possible abolition of the visa-free regime for citizens of the Russian Federation as part of the harmonization of their legislation with European Union requirements.
This was announced by Dragan Stanojević, chairman of the Serbian Parliament’s Committee on Diaspora and Serbs in the Region.
This step is part of Belgrade’s commitments to align its foreign policy with Brussels to accelerate European integration processes.
According to the official, specific timelines for implementing this decision are being discussed behind the scenes, tied to the country’s overall reform plan.
“There are statements that all of this should be done by the end of 2026. But as far as I know, all of this must be completed six months before EU accession,” Dragan Stanojević emphasized in comments to journalists.
At the same time, he expressed doubt about a quick conclusion to the negotiation process, noting that Serbia currently remains far from full membership in the European Union.
According to representatives of the Serbian parliament, prematurely closing the borders to Russians could negatively impact the country’s financial stability.
Abolishing the current border crossing regime could deal a significant blow to the country’s economy, which is heavily reliant on tourism and investment.
Currently, the Serbian government is trying to balance meeting the strict requirements of its European partners with protecting its own economic interests in the region.
It should be noted that Serbia officially applied for EU membership back in 2009 and received official candidate status in 2012.
A bilateral visa-free regime between Serbia and the Russian Federation has been in effect since July 2009, allowing citizens of both countries to stay in the other country without a visa for up to 30 days.
Earlier, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an ambitious plan to fully align its visa policy with EU rules by the end of 2026.
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