Serbia has suspended plans to issue passports to Russian citizens and other foreigners who have lived in the country for at least a year, after warning the European Union that the initiative may not be approved in Brussels, and will suspend the visa-free regime for this country, reports the Financial Times.
It is clarified that the Serbian government proposed a draft law in April, it provides that one year of residence in Serbia is sufficient for foreigners who work in local companies or who are self-employed to obtain a Serbian passport.
The European Union, in turn, said such a move posed a security threat to the union.
“If the granting of citizenship is considered to pose an increased risk to the internal security and public order of member states, the visa-free regime may be suspended,” the European Commission said in a statement.
The material notes that news about possible changes in legislation caused resonance in the Russian-speaking segment of social networks.
Earlier, European Commission representative Anita Hipper said the European Union would introduce a visa-free regime with Kosovo from January 1, 2024, despite the region’s non-recognition by five EU countries.
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