Serbia halts plans to issue passports to Russians amid EU criticism

Insight News reported this with reference to the Financial Times. 

The measure, tabled by the Belgrade administration in April, states that foreign residents working in local firms or self-employed individuals will be able to receive a Serbian passport after one year of temporary residence. Foreigners must now reside in Serbia for at least five years before seeking citizenship.

The European Commission, on the other hand, has cautioned that it is closely watching Belgrade's visa-free regime “to prevent and mitigate possible risks to EU security.”

“If the granting of citizenship under the investor citizenship schemes is considered to pose an increased risk to the internal security and public policy of the Member States, the visa-free regime may be suspended,” the European Commission stated. 

Over the past year, Brussels has pushed in vain to persuade Belgrade to impose sanctions on Russia, to block direct flights from the country, and to tighten sanctions on Russian enterprises and individuals attempting to dodge Western travel bans and asset freezes.

According to a government adviser in Serbia, the law to ease the criteria for getting citizenship was “only a proposal” that “was not adopted.”

The goal of the broader reform, which included reducing registration regulations, was to recruit highly skilled employees to help Serbia's economy and population.

Over the last few weeks, news of the impending legal changes in Serbia has circulated on Russian-language social media, and a fresh wave of emigrants has been preparing to go to Serbia in the hope that they will soon be free to move to other European nations.

According to observers, the Serbian government is likely to drop the idea due to EU pressure. “Usually, when the European Commission gives a negative opinion, it becomes difficult for Serbia to push the law forward. Otherwise, Serbs will lose visa-free access to Europe, and it took a lot of effort to get this visa liberalization in 2009,” Jelena Djankic, co-director of the Observatory for Global Citizenship, an Italian-based think tank, said. 

Instead, she believes the administration would strive to extend residency permits to around 200,000 Russians who have entered the country since February 2022.

Previously, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic declared that the influx of thousands of professional and educated Russians fleeing their nation during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine will assist the Serbian economy.

Serbia has been criticized by the EU for failing to comply with sanctions imposed on Russia

According to a report on Serbia from the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Serbia's membership in the EU can only progress if Belgrade complies with European sanctions imposed on Russia.

According to Vladimir Bilcik, the rapporteur for Serbia in the European Parliament, Serbia's adherence to EU foreign policy, the continuation of domestic reforms, particularly in the areas of judicial independence and media freedom, and the continuation of dialogue with Kosovo are critical for the country's accession process.

Serbia's EU-Russia balance

Serbia is in the middle of a geopolitical conflict between the West and Russia. Serbia is under increased pressure from the EU as a result of its refusal to adopt sanctions against Russia. 

Since Russia launched a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February, the EU has made it clear that it wants Western Balkan nations aspiring to join it to support its international policies, including sanctions imposed on Russia in reaction to its assault on a sovereign state in Europe.

According to EU legislators, Russia's illegal war against Ukraine makes it more important than ever for candidates and EU member states to adhere to the EU's standards in foreign and security policies.

Serbia's status has been perilous since Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attempted to reconcile EU efforts to isolate Moscow with Belgrade's relations to Russia, energy supplies, and diplomatic support for its Kosovo stance. 

Vucic has walked a delicate line between satisfying Moscow and the West by accepting the UN resolution condemning the invasion of Ukraine and refusing to acknowledge Russia's annexations while also rejecting support for EU sanctions. However, Serbia has enraged EU officials by refusing to engage in the sanctions system.

Russia's objectives in the Balkans

Russia has traditionally received more backing from Serbian far-right forces. Moscow seeks to counteract the West's influence in the Balkans and destabilize the situation in the region by supporting its Serbian friends. It has been a long-standing objective for Moscow since the Russian Empire established political and theological relations with the Balkans. 

As the territory was fought between the Catholic Western powers and the Islamic Ottoman Empire, Russia positioned itself as an ally of the Orthodox Christian Slavs, particularly in Serbia.

The fundamental purpose of Russia's plan is to devise asymmetrical means of preventing the Balkans from joining Western institutions while improving ties with Serbia. Moscow primarily seeks to exploit regional divides and increase confrontations between ethnic and religious groups.

Moscow routinely directs its funding through proxies and various non-governmental channels to increase its influence, including support for clubs, sports teams, religious institutions, media outlets, and veteran organizations. Developing this soft power allows the Kremlin to maintain convincing denial.

By stopping the UN from recognizing Kosovo's independence, Moscow portrays itself as a defender of Serbia's territorial integrity. As a result, Russia gains popularity among Serbs. As a result, the Serbian government is under pressure to maintain strong relations with Moscow.

Serbia must make a strategic decision

Vucic's balancing approach culminates in the normalization of relations with Kosovo, mediated by the EU, and deeper European membership. 

Joining the EU will be a far better strategic choice for Serbia than keeping a good relationship with Moscow, which has been severely denounced and sanctioned for its conflict in Ukraine and has become isolated and weaker as a result.

• Vucic refuses to promise that Serbia will not impose sanctions against Russia – ISW

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