Officials and residents of Bosnia and Albania Monday hailed the European Union decision to extend visa-free travel rights to them as a historic decision which marks a step towards a European future.

“This is a historic decision…This is the biggest dream [come true] for Albanians since the fall of communism,” Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha told AFP.

EU interior ministers unanimously gave the green light to allow Albanian and Bosnian citizens with biometric passports to travel to 25 European nations without a visa, but with a tight monitoring system and the possibility of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

Berisha was quick to ease European fears.

“There will not be an exodus, Albania offers a wealth of possibilities for economic development,” he said, adding that Albania was starting a widespread public campaign to inform its citizens of the conditions for the scheme.

In Sarajevo the international community’s high representative in Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, said a “heavy burden” has been lifted for the country.

“Visa liberalization…brings Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens closer to the European homeland to which they belong,” Inzko, who is also the EU envoy, said.

November 08, 2010
AFP

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