The sacred word: visa
by
HAJRUDIN SOMUN*

From the very beginning of delimiting tribal or clan boundaries until the drawing of state borders, there has more or less been strict control of crossing from one side to the other. In its modern meaning, which originated from the Latin term charta visa (the document has been seen), a stamp or an endorsement in the passport that allows the bearer to enter the country issuing it has become a precious tool in international relations. It becomes more important and valuable when required to enter the so-called Western civilized world by citizens of other less “democratized” parts of the globe.

More precisely and importantly, the influence of the visa issue on the imbalance and injustice in international human movement is still clearly evident in Europe. Citizens of European Union member states can move freely from Stockholm to Madrid or Rome, from the north of Europe to the south, in most cases without even being asked to show identity cards. At the same time, in the European southeast, in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Skopje and Tirana, foreign visitors are surprised to see long lines in front of EU member country embassies despite freezing winter cold or the summer heat. In front of embassies of some more “wanted” countries, such as Germany, people come at dawn to secure their place in line to get a visa.

All Western Balkan countries, together with EU-aspirant Turkey, are on the so-called Black Schengen List, meaning they need visas to enter EU member states. Only Croatia has succeeded to get visa-free access, as it is closer to EU membership than any other country in the region. However, even if it enters the EU before the rest -- probably in the next two to three years -- Croatia will wait on the so-called White Schengen List until it fulfills all criteria of the Schengen area, the 24 European countries that have fully abolished their internal borders and carefully guard external ones. Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania, although EU member states for a few years now and with visa-free access, are on that “waiting list.” If they meet entry conditions, they could become full Schengen Zone members not earlier than 2011.

Thus, there are more criteria to becoming fully admitted to the Schengen Zone than to becoming an EU member state. For many of those applying for a visa to go to Europe, it is a confusing fact, but they know it is much better to have a visa from a “Schengen country” than, for example, from Great Britain or Ireland, both of which did not want to join the Schengen Zone, or from Romania and Cyprus, which allow entry into their territory, but not further travel to other EU member states. Besides Slovenia, Greece is the only Balkan country that is a member of both the EU and the Schengen area. Greeks, however, support the process of ending visa restriction for all other Balkan states, but they are also skeptical, worrying that it would increase economic migration and organized crime in their country.

Looking from the angle of the so-called Western Balkans, five countries are impatiently expecting to jump over hurdles along the way to traveling without a visa to EU member countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia (officially still the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Montenegro and Serbia. Observing from the broader Balkans or the southeastern European angle, there is also Kosovo, which is a “specific case,” and Turkey, which is an even more “specific” case.

Interestingly, all these Western Balkan countries, except for Albania, were part of the former Yugoslavia, whose citizens under the rule of Josip Broz Tito's type of socialist rule enjoyed unrestricted travel throughout Europe and the world. But after the wars of the 1990s, initiated by Slobodan Milosevic's nationalist regime, the countries were added to the black visa list. It is also indicative that Serbia, easing but still not abandoning its nationalist approach toward neighboring independent countries that were planned to be part of a Greater Serbia, will be relieved of visa restrictions together with Macedonia and Montenegro, but before Bosnia and Albania. The European Commission on July 15 recommended abolishing visa requirements for citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, effective January 2010. A decision is expected to be made in the fall on the EC recommendation. Bosnia and Albania will have to wait for this privilege for probably another year. ,

Only Macedonia succeeded in meeting all conditions to come under the EU visa-free regime, including internal stability and security, reinforcement of borders in regard to asylum and migration, issuing biometric passports and satisfactory achievements in the field of human rights. Except for some technical issues, Serbia and Montenegro met most conditions, but many non-Serbian observers, including myself, are under the impression that the European Union's approach toward Serbia in regard to many issues -- and not only lifting visa restrictions -- is more appeasing than toward other countries in the region. Due to old prejudices that it represents the main stability factor in the Balkans or suspicions that it could fall under Russian influence if does not become part of Euro-Atlantic integrations more rapidly, Serbia is too quickly being pardoned for conflicts and atrocities it caused over the last two decades in other Balkan nations, and to its own people as well. Serbia could already have gotten closer to the EU had the Netherlands not blocked its accession process. The Netherlands want Gen. Ratko Mladic, the man responsible for the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia, to be brought to The Hague War Crimes Tribunal.

That is why Serbia may join the EU before Bosnia and Herzegovina, continue the EU accession process without recognizing Kosovo's independence and see its citizens travel without a visa to Europe before the children of Srebrenica victims get the opportunity to do the same. The Bosnian case even becomes ironic when one considers what will happen once Serbia is rewarded with visa-free travel to Europe. Bosnian Croats already have the opportunity to enjoy visa-free travel to Europe with their Croatian passports, which they use more frequently than their Bosnian ones, even participating in Croatian elections. Now that Serbia is close to receiving the same treatment as Croatia, Bosnian Serbs will have the same privilege because they have the right to get Serbian passports. Only Bosniaks will be incapable of traveling without a visa to Europe in the foreseeable future. It will then be easy to recognize the people waiting from dawn in front of the German and Austrian embassies in Sarajevo to get a visa. They will only be Bosniaks -- Bosnian Muslims. This gives the image an even broader meaning.

Kosovo has still not been considered for any EU recommendation in regard to visa liberalization as it was not recognized by all EU countries nor accepted to the UN. Furthermore, its ethnic makeup differs from the Bosnian case. It is quite normal for the minority of Kosovo Serbs -- only 5 percent of the population -- to keep their Serbian passports because, at the end of the day, Kosovo is still formally considered by Belgrade as part of Serbia. It is, however, unusual that many Kosovo Albanians are taking out Serbian travel documents as well. There are around half a million Kosovars who live in Europe and come to visit relatives in Kosovo via Serbia, which does not recognize their Kosovo passports, forcing them to take out Serbian ones.

Despite agreeing with the latest European Commission recommendation, many European countries are not in favor of including Kosovo or the other five above-mentioned Western Balkan countries in the visa-free regime. Aside from other reasons, the current global economic crisis has increased their fears of a new influx of workers and immigrants. Germany and France, for example, prefer the “visa liberalization” model, which implies easing the criteria on visas for students, scholars, doctors and businessmen. Compared to the EU accession process, this term could be reminiscent of the “privileged partnership” instead of full membership being offered to Turkey by these two very important EU countries. Apart from the “permanent weakening of the movement of labor” and other issues, perhaps a special visa liberalization program could also be part of that generously offered “privileged partnership.”

To avoid the risk of being -- as a Bosniak, or a Bosnian Muslim -- accused of being subjective while considering the EU's general approach toward Serbia as appeasing and toward Bosnia as unjust, I will resort to the statement of a very prominent German politician. Christian Schwarz-Schilling, the former high representative of the international community to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the only European minister who resigned in protest of the policy of his government in the 1990s regarding the Balkans, commenting on the EC recommendation on abolishing visa requirements for Serbia to the magazine Bild, said: “Just now when the European Parliament commemorates the 14th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the European Commission announces that Serbs will be able to enter the EU without visa from 2010, and Bosnians and Kosovars will not. It makes a mockery and [is a] blow to all European values.”