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Visa pressure: EU demands Serbia to reduce the issuance of residence permits to Russians by 50%
The European Union has intensified attempts to destroy ties between Russia and Serbia. Brussels is now demanding that the number of documents issued to Russian citizens be cut in half, the Serbian parliament told Izvestia. Otherwise, the EU threatens to cancel visa-free travel with the Balkan republic. Since 2022, tens of thousands of Russians have received a Serbian residence permit, and almost 2 thousand have become citizens. Experts believe that Belgrade will not fully comply with these requirements. Meanwhile, protests have resumed in Serbia, and President Aleksandar Vucic is preparing to move to the prime minister's chair.
New EU conditions for Serbia
The European Union has demanded that Serbia reduce by 50% the number of passports and residence permits issued to Russian citizens, Dragan Stanojevic, head of the country's parliamentary committee on Diaspora and Serbs in the region, told Izvestia. In case of non-compliance, the EU threatens to cancel the visa-free regime with Belgrade.
"Brussels is putting a lot of pressure on Serbia, demanding that the issuance of citizenship, residence permits and other things for citizens of the Russian Federation be halved," the politician said. — The EU criticizes Serbia for issuing many passports and residence permits to Russian citizens. For non-compliance, Brussels threatens to cancel the visa-free regime. I think that EU pressure will have an impact and our authorities will comply with these requirements.
Izvestia has sent inquiries to the European Commission and the Serbian government.
At the end of last year, the European Commission called on the Serbian authorities to restrict the issuance of passports to Russians. At the time, Brussels said that Russians obtaining Serbian citizenship could "pose potential risks to EU security."
These demands fit into the EU's desire to destroy the ties between Moscow and Belgrade. Earlier, Izvestia wrote that the West insists on canceling direct flights between Russia and Serbia, and also demands to cancel the gas contract with Gazprom. Brussels is actively promoting the alignment of Serbia's visa policy with the European one, which means the introduction of visas for Russians. At the moment, Belgrade has not reported on the tightening of visa rules.
Since 2022, the flow of Russians to Serbia has increased. According to the local Ministry of Internal Affairs, from 2022 to 2024, 67.2 thousand Russian citizens received a residence permit, and about 1.7 thousand people became holders of a Serbian passport. The main reasons for obtaining a residence permit were job offers from companies registered in Serbia, registration of their own business and family reunification, although for some political reasons were also important.
At the same time, 532 Russians received Serbian citizenship in 2023, and only 188 in 2024. The issuance of a residence permit also slowed down, although these processes may be related to a general decrease in the migration flow from Russia.
Will Serbia restrict the issuance of residence permits to Russians
Belgrade is likely to choose a tactic of imitating concessions — not fulfilling the requirements in substance, but creating the appearance of moving towards the EU, Alisa Kazelko, a member of the Russian Export Control Association and Valdai expert, said in an interview with Izvestia.
"Structural dependence on the Russian presence makes a sharp turnaround too expensive: over the past two years, Serbia has become one of the main transit hubs for Russians, which has brought real economic dividends — capital inflows, the growth of the real estate market, and skilled labor in IT," she said.
At the same time, the European Commission has a strong instrument of pressure in the form of the abolition of the visa-free regime. The share of EU countries in Serbia's foreign trade turnover is more than 60%, and the return to visas is paralyzing cross-border business mobility and logistics. In addition, thousands of Serbian citizens work in EU countries seasonally or on short trips. The appearance of a visa barrier will deprive them of this income. There is already a precedent — in March, the European Commission suspended visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passports of Georgia.
INF Program Coordinator Milan Lazovic stressed to Izvestia that Serbia would not take steps directly contrary to its national interests, especially under pressure from outside, since it had managed to maintain its share of sovereignty among the few in Europe.
At the end of April, the EU suspended the allocation of €1.5 billion to Serbia, allegedly because of the policy in the judicial system. Back in 2012, the Balkan republic received the status of a candidate for EU membership, but the process of European integration is not actually progressing. The real reason is that Belgrade refuses to break off relations with Russia and join the sanctions. Last year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, and at a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Beijing, he assured him that Belgrade would continue to remain neutral towards Russia.
However, there are also problematic issues in relations between Russia and Serbia. The SVR of the Russian Federation reported last year that Serbian companies were supplying ammunition to Ukraine through NATO countries. Alexander Vucic then suspended the export of weapons and proposed to create a working group with Russia on this issue. However, in the spring there were reports that the supply of Serbian weapons to Ukraine continues, despite the bans.
Why have the protests resumed in Serbia
In May, anti-government rallies began again in Serbia. In particular, on May 23, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic reported about 34 thousand participants of the action in the capital. In the evening, there were clashes between protesters and police. The guards fired tear gas, and the demonstrators set fire to trash cans. According to official data, 47 people were detained, 17 law enforcement officers were injured during the riots.
The new opposition rallies coincided with the announcement of plans to hold parliamentary elections in the fall, from mid-September to mid-November. And during his visit to China on May 25, Alexander Vucic stated that he could leave the presidency ahead of schedule, although his term of office would end only next year. However, he is not going to end his political career — the ruling Serbian Progressive Party will offer Vucic to become its candidate for prime minister in future parliamentary elections.
The protests in Serbia will only increase, especially as the elections approach. The reason is that the street opposition does not have its own party and it may not have time to officially create its own party list before the elections, political analyst Oleg Bondarenko, director of the Progressive Policy Foundation, told Izvestia.
— In this case, the street opposition will declare these elections illegitimate and will not recognize their results. This will open a direct path to the color revolution," Bondarenko said.
In his opinion, the prospects for Alexander Vucic's transition to the post of prime minister depend on which parties that have entered parliament will be ready to enter into a coalition with the Serbian Progressive Party. The power of the protest wave will have an impact, as well as the state of health of Serbian Interior Minister and Socialist Party leader Ivica Dacic, who recently suffered a serious illness. Vucic will need his party to form a coalition.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic
According to the Constitution of Serbia, it is the Prime Minister who has the main executive powers, and the role of the president is largely representative. Vucic ruled the country from the presidential chair due to his enormous personal rating and control over the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. Becoming prime minister, he will bring the formal structure of power in line with his real influence.
However, the EU will not give up pressure on Belgrade, so it will become increasingly difficult for the Serbian authorities to combine good relations with Moscow and a course towards European integration. Decisions on maintaining visa-free travel with Russia and issuing a residence permit will show whether Belgrade is ready to continue its independent foreign policy.
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