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Brussels criticizes the policy of golden passports: Abuse of them can bring back visas for Albania and the Western Balkans

2022-12-07 10:55:14Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Brussels criticizes the policy of golden passports: Abuse of them can bring back

In its fifth report on the monitoring of the suspension of visas, the EU Commission requests from the countries of the Western Balkans for citizens whose visas have been revoked, the harmonization of visa policies. Among others, Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro have been warned by the Commission about the schemes of granting citizenship to foreign investors. The commission warns that the application of golden passports may bring back the visa regime for the respective countries.

Despite the concerns previously expressed by the Commission, Albania continues to have in force the legislation that allows obtaining a 'citizenship under the investment scheme' ('golden passports'), the report states. There is further concern that such schemes, citizenship versus investment, could encourage irregular migration to the EU, as well as undermine measures to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

The Commission warns these countries that it will continue to monitor the practice of "golden passports". If such schemes are used to circumvent the EU visa procedure or for "money laundering", or prove to pose a security risk, the Commission will request the reinstatement of the visa regime.

The report also criticizes Albania in terms of visa policy. "Albania has not taken any action to further harmonize its visa policy with the list of third countries for whose citizens the EU requires a visa," the report states. "On the contrary, in 2021 and the beginning of 2022, Albania moved further away from the recommendations."

The report requests that in the future there be no other deviations from the list of countries for which the EU requires visas. This, according to the report, applies mostly to those third countries that have irregular immigration or pose security risks.

Before 2021, Albania had visa-free agreements with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Turkey, and in the meantime it has removed the requirements for seasonal visas (from May to September) for citizens of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Russia , Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The report also criticizes the removal of seasonal visas for foreign citizens who are residents of the United Arab Emirates. Many have ended up as refugees in the EU, the report says. DW


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