Euro-Integrations Minister Believes Schengen Area Should Include W. Balkans

Western Balkans (Photo: Nevena Zaric)

Serbian European Integrations Minister Nemanja Starovic said on Jan. 21 that the admittance of the Western Balkans to the Schengen Area – where border checks do not exist between member countries – “would be a good and tangible step” forward, adding that “full EU members in the immediate future remains unattainable for countries like Serbia, due to the demanding reforms in the EU’s decision making mechanisms.”

“That step would doubtlessly benefit not only our citizens but the security of Europe as a whole, and would positively affect the economy of our region as well,” Starovic wrote in an op-ed for the Politika daily.

The minister recalled Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s opinion from the 2021 Bled Strategic Forum that, for security reasons, the Western Balkans countries should be included in the Schengen Area if they meet the requirements and that the first Western Balkan country to be admitted to the Area should be Serbia.

Four and half years later, Babis has returned to once more lead the Czech government and his initiative, strategically speaking, is more relevant than ever, Starovic wrote.

“Today, when Europe’s security is again becoming a key topic and the prism through which policies in many areas are examined, it is time for strategic and visionary decisions, unencumbered by bureaucratic mechanisms. Including the Western Balkans in the Schengen [Area] would not only constitute a gesture of good will toward the region – it would also be a pragmatic move for strengthening European security,” the minister concluded.