The European Commission considers Serbia’s practice of granting citizenship to Russian nationals a potential security concern for the European Union, noting that the issue remains a key topic in ongoing discussions between Brussels and Belgrade.
European Commission spokesperson for enlargement Guillaume Mercier addressed the issue in response to media inquiries in Brussels on Thursday, specifically regarding Serbian citizenship being awarded to Russian citizens currently under European Union sanctions.
Mercier explained that the concern is not new, noting that it was formally addressed in the Commission’s 2025 enlargement report. In that document, the EU recommended that Serbia further align its visa policies with those of the European Union and implement rigorous checks on visa-free arrivals from third countries, particularly those presenting security or illegal migration risks.
The spokesperson indicated that the Commission had previously determined that allowing Russian citizens to gain visa-free access to the EU by obtaining Serbian citizenship creates potential security vulnerabilities for the bloc. He affirmed that these recommendations and concerns remain fully valid today.
According to Mercier, the European Commission is actively engaging with authorities in Belgrade to address this matter. He emphasized that the alignment of Serbia’s visa regime remains a dynamic issue that will continue to be monitored and evaluated in future Commission reports.
