Serbia under pressure to tighten visa rules

EU officials have warned recently that thousands of travellers who have entered Serbia - and other Western Balkan nations - on a free-travel regime as tourists in the past months have ended up seeking asylum in EU countries.

The issue has alarmed the 27-nation bloc as it has added to a migratory influx through the Balkans - of people from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The Balkan route leads from Greece and Turkey through North Macedonia and Bulgaria into Serbia and on toward the borders of EU members Hungary, Romania and Croatia.

Serbia's visa-free travel policy with countries like India, Cuba, Tunisia or Burundi has made Belgrade Airport an additional entry point for migrants from these countries. Already, Serbia this month introduced visas for the Burundi nationals and announced it would do the same with Tunisia next month.