Source : Banjaluka.com   18. July  2013.

Number of asylum applications from Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2013 was higher by 13 percent compared to April 2013, according to the latest data of European Agency for External Borders (Frontex) in a report on monitoring the effects of visa liberalization. According to the data, on all other countries of the Western Balkan (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania) the number of asylum applications has been reduced. Asylum seekers from Serbia have about 45 percent of all these countries.

The highest number of asylum seekers from Bosnia and Herzegovina remains interested in Sweden, where have been registered an increase of 85% percent in May 2013 compared to April 2013, while in all other countries have been registered a decrease in the number of applications. Thus, for example, in May 2013 in Switzerland was 60 percent less applications, 30 percent in Belgium and 12 percent less in Germany.

Overall statistics for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro shows 11 percent less asylum applications in May 2013 compared to May 2012.

During the first five months of 2013 in EU have been received a total of 6,400 asylum requests from the above metioned countries, or 16 percent less compared to the same period of 2012.

According to statistics, „Top destination” for asylum is no longer Germany but Denmark, where, as mentioned, only in first five months of 2013 have been received 600 applicatons from Serbia.

Tanja Fajon, special reporter of the European Parliament for visa liberalization, urged citizens of Western Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina) to take seriously warnings about the possible reintroduction of visas and to do the best they can to reduce the number of asylum seekers.

„I am very disappointed with the way that two years of negotiations between the EU institutions on the reports of visas have been finalized. The final compromise has led to the fact that the European Parliament has no jurisdiction and control over the decisions of member countries to temporarily reintroduce visas for citizens of Western Balkans”- pointed out Tanja Fajon.