EU travel, a tough road for Balkan citizens

TIRANA, Sep. 29 – Albania has signed last year the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union, considered the fist step toward integration.
But there has been no date set as to when Albania may become a candidate and, moreover, a full member.
That road will take many years to complete during which the country should conduct a series of reforms, changed attitudes, behavior, and mentality in many aspects and generally approximate its governing to EU standards.
That travel seems to be almost identical for all the western Balkan countries, in which Croatia only seems to be a step ahead. Albania, on the other hand, seems very backward, not to turn pessimistic and consider it the last potential candidate.
Travel through Europe is slated to get easier and cheaper for Balkan citizens, but much more is needed, wrote New Europe, a European weekly last week.
After nearly one year of negotiations, the EU inked relaxation agreements on September 18 with Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and four readmission agreements (not including Albania as it is already in force). The agreements aim to facilitate the process of receiving short-stay visas and combating illegal immigration.
The EU’s strict visa regulations for Balkan passports have for years isolated an entire group of people in the heart of Europe – inhibiting business and, most importantly, education. The immobility of especially the best and the brightest in the region is daunting.
The Balkans was promised a European future at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003. The agreements “are a further proof of the EU’s commitment to the region’s European perspective,” Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in September. The roadmap towards a visa-free regime, however, is slow-going, and barriers in the interim period remain unyielding.
The European Parliament supported plans last week to ease entry for skilled workers from third countries such as Asia and Africa. The EU should also recruit skilled labor from its backyard, and do away with the bureaucratic barriers which are deterring Balkan nationals from the social, economic and educational development they deserve.
When the visa plan comes into force on January 1, handling fees will decrease from 60 Euro to 35 Euro and applications will be eased for specific people such as businessmen, students and journalists. Diplomatic passports will no longer require visas. Some people, such as frequent travelers, may also have the possibility to apply for multi-entry visas.
The readmission agreement sets the conditions for authorities on the safe return of Balkan citizens who are illegally residing in EU countries.
“The smooth implementation of these agreements Šwill enable the Commission to start a structured dialogue on a possible visa-free regime for the citizens of theWestern Balkan countries in the future,” European Commission Vice President in charge of justice and home affairs Franco Frattini said upon signing.
A solid roadmap toward EU membership is needed, not another year-long “structured dialogue”. To achieve entry onto the white Schengen list where travel is visa-free, Balkan countries must make strides in improving security and convincing dubious EU members such as Germany they are trustworthy. They will be required to beef up the rule of law, fully cooperate in fighting organized crime and corruption across their borders and introduce secure travel documents.