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European Union tentatively admits two Balkan States to Schengen privileges

• Bosnia and Herzegovina approved in principle
• European Union members still to vote
• The jury’s out on the advantages of the move

As part of an expanding European Union that is destined finally to weld into one nation a Europe split into pieces by two World Wars and the American-Russian Cold War too, the Euro-Zone has agreed in principle to admit the twin Balkan States of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the exclusive club of nations allowed to travel visa-free throughout the Union.

This is great news for all travelers who have grown tired of complicated procedural requirements that have removed a great deal of the pleasure of spontaneous travel in recent years.

After excluding the Balkan nations from the privilege a year ago, the European Commission was this time lavish in its praise for their upgraded passport security and improved border control – although some political commentators also saw the move as an attempt to bolster the support of local voters for the current governments. This change means that the benefiting Balkan nationals should soon be able to travel freely across most of Europe, armed only with biometric passports (those with fingerprints and facial images) as opposed to first having obtained Schengen Passports, and without the costs, delays and other hassles of obtaining these.

The Commission’s decision must still be ratified by all 27 European Union members individually, and in the European Parliament as well. The deadline for this has yet to be announced – in the interim both Bosnia and Herzegovina will be carefully watched by European Union members still questioning their long-term political goals, and cynical about inducements such as easy travel transparently intended to persuade them to mend political ways.

Supporters of the contentious move argue benefits that include incentivising politicians to work together, and greater opportunities to showcase the benefits of European Union economic culture to their citizens. The downside that many others counter with is the risk of opening European Union doors to immigration by economic refugees and asylum seekers. European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Cecelia Malmstrom believes lessons have been learned from previous experiences, and that the offer had brought about real political improvements in both Bosnia and Herzegovina. Besides, she added, both countries had implemented more effective passport management strategies, clamped down on crime and corruption, and tightened up their borders.

Heather Grabbe, who heads the Open Society Institute in Brussels, Belgium, is enthusiastic about the move. “It has really produced results on border security and police cooperation,” she says. “It has forced the entities to work together on a practical level.” Besides, she points out, haven’t Italy and Greece already backed the move, in spite of being geographically on the leading edge of the impact of the changes?

At http://www.flightscheaptickets.com we think this interesting debate is far from over. Visit us, and follow the story as it unfolds.

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