EU moves towards visa-free rights for Albania, Bosnia

The European Commission yesterday formally recommended EU member countries and the European Parliament to grant visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia.

"Granting visa free travel is a cornerstone of the EU's integration policy for the western Balkans," said Cecilia Malmstroem, the EU commissioner for home affairs.

The proposal, not expected to be passed until the autumn after summer monitoring of efforts to improve passport security, strengthen border controls and reinforce the fight against organised crime and corruption, will only apply to citizens with biometric passports.

Kosovo, recognised as independent of Serbia by many EU countries, but not by the bloc's current chair, Spain, will remain on the outside looking in.

Citizens would be free to travel to 25 of the 27 EU countries - except Britain and Ireland which use their island geography to remain exempt from a common visa policy - as well as other non-EU countries that are in the passport-free Schengen travel zone, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

In Tirana, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha hailed the news, saying it was "a historic decision".