The EU's new visa-free travel regime with three Balkan countries has led to a sudden increase in asylum seekers in Belgium, with the European Commission urging restraint.
The number of Macedonian asylum applications to Belgium went up from 200 in all of 2009 to 401 in January and February, following the lifting of visa requirements for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro at the turn of the year.
The number of Serbian applications also jumped up from 514 in 2009 to 347 in the past tw...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.