EU reaches agreement with Serbia over border safety

By Serife Cetin

BRUSSELS

The EU on Thursday agreed with Serbia on assisting border management and sudden change in migratory flows in the country, according to the EU Commission.

“Today, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and Nebojsa Stefanovic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, initialed a status agreement that will allow European Border and Coast Guard teams to be deployed in Serbia,” the EU body said in a written statement.

According to the agreement, the guards will carry out joint operations with Serbia.

“Step by step, we are better protecting the EU's external borders,” the statement quoted the Commissioner Avramopoulos as saying.

The draft status agreement will be formally signed when both sides complete the necessary legal procedures and the European Parliament consent is taken.

The EU has similar agreements with Albania and Macedonia, the statement added.

The EU officials continue negotiations to sign a border management agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina.