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Hundreds of Cubans entered the EU via the Western Balkans so far this year, compared to 36 last year (Photo: Enrico Strocchi)

Czech presidency floats Western Balkan visa-free travel ban over irregular migration

Growing numbers of Cubans, Indians, and Turks coming via Albania and Serbia to claim asylum in the EU has prompted talk of suspending Western Balkan visa-free travel.

The fact that Serbia and Albania never fully aligned their overseas visa-waiver lists with the EU, despite themselves enjoying visa-free travel to the bloc "contributes to the growing number of irregular migrants entering the EU via this route," the Czech EU presidency warned in an internal memo dated Tuesday (11 October)...

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Author Bio

Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.

Hundreds of Cubans entered the EU via the Western Balkans so far this year, compared to 36 last year (Photo: Enrico Strocchi)

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Author Bio

Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.

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