Some questions linger on visa-free decision

TIRANA, Oct. 3 – Most Albanians are eagerly awaiting a decision that would allow them to travel visa-free to most of the European Union member countries later this year.
It is also a goal mentioned daily by government officials, and the prime minister is trying to make it a story of his personal success.
Last week, the European Parliament’s last commission to report on the issue gave positive signs about its decision, and this week, the European Parliament as a whole will vote on it.
Albanians are also growing concerned with some media reports, saying there is opposition from France and The Netherlands.
It is very likely that is not linked with the benchmarks which Albania has now met. Critics say it has probably more to do with Albania’s and Bosnia’s Muslim population.
Also, the country’s ever-squabbling politics might be negatively affecting the process.
But there have been voices from French and Dutch officials that the decision should be postponed further.
In the context of the Western Balkans, the political objective of visa-free travel was set at the Thessaloniki European Council in 2003. As a first step towards visa-free travel, the then European Community concluded visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania.
Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina have made significant progress in improving passport security, in strengthening border controls, in reinforcing the institutional framework to fight organized crime and corruption, as well as in external relations and fundamental rights. The progress was monitored on a regular basis by the European Commission, including that based on input from technical missions carried out with the assistance of experts from member states. In April 2010 the European Commission carried out a thorough assessment of the progress achieved by Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was shared with the European Parliament, the Council and the authorities of the countries concerned. The conclusions allowed proceeding with a proposal to grant visa free travel to these two countries. It is now for the European Parliament and EU member states in the council to decide to adopt the proposal in the coming months.
But it would be no surprise if France would oppose the process at this moment.
European parliamentarians have assured, however, that everything may also be voted and passed with only two-thirds of the countries agreeing to it.
Slovenian EU lawmaker Tanja Fajon has said, “We sent a very strong and positive signal today to the citizens of [Bosnia-Hercegovina] and Albania that the EU is ready to lift the visa requirements.”
Prime Minister Sali Berisha turned down Monday the idea that France would present any obstacle for the visa-free regime.
But French media says otherwise. Following France’s controversial expulsions of illegal Roma migrants, most of whom were EU nationals of Romania and Bulgaria, Paris has signaled its opposition to lifting visa requirements for Bosnian and Albanian citizens.
French daily Le Monde reports that France has criticized the European Commission for pursuing visa liberalization talks with Western Balkan countries for “political reasons,” neglecting the “risks” associated with further opening the EU’s borders.
“The commission wants a measure but will not be dealing with its negative impacts,” an unnamed high-level French diplomat is quoted as saying.
He adds that it is EU member states, at the end of the day, who will have to deal with the immigration and security issues resulting from lifting visa barriers with the Western Balkans.
Speaking in the French parliament on Sept. 29, French State Secretary for European Affairs Pierre Lellouche called the visa policy a “matter of security.”
“Last year, the countries of former Yugoslavia saw the visa requirement lifted. Those remaining are Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each time, this is a very delicate exercise. My position, and I think that of the government, is that the visa issue is a matter of security. It is not only a diplomatic present which we offer along the way,” Lellouche said.
He added that France would request “security guarantees” from Albania and Bosnia before it gives its green light for lifting visa requirements for those countries. He also indicated that in the case of Bosnia, there was “a need for a state” with whom France would deal.
Asked by the EurActiv news agency to comment, Michele Cercone, spokesperson for EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstr