Serbia Grants EU Access to Sanctioned Russians Via Passports, Defying Brussels Warnings

Serbia is issuing Serbian passports to Russian citizens, including those under international sanctions, despite repeated warnings from Brussels that this grants them visa-free access to the European Union. Radio Free Europe's investigation revealed that 44 Russians have received Serbian citizenship this year alone, some of whom are under sanctions.

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Among them is Valeri Kazikajev, who received a passport in January, and from 2023 is under American sanctions due to connections with Russian billionaire Usmanov.

Among them is Valeri Kazikajev, who received a passport in January and has been under U.S. sanctions since 2023 due to ties with Russian billionaire Usmanov. Sergey Kondratenko, under Ukrainian sanctions, received citizenship in November, and Igor Kolyushev, a construction engineer facing Ukrainian sanctions related to capital export bans, also obtained Serbian citizenship.

Since Serbia has a visa-free travel agreement with the EU, these new citizens can enter EU countries, including those that have sanctioned them, for tourism or business. This practice directly threatens the security interests of the European Union, according to Marko Todorović from the Center for European Policy.

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If he has Serbian citizenship and tries to access the Schengen area, it might go unnoticed and he might be welcomed in those countries, thereby directly endangering the security interest of the European Union.

The European Commission has previously recommended that Serbia align its visa policy with the EU's and rigorously check visa-free arrivals from third countries, especially those posing security risks. The Commission's annual report specifically noted that granting visa-free travel to Russians via Serbian citizenship poses a potential security risk to the EU.

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In the framework of the Annual Report on Enlargement for 2025, we recommended that Serbia further align with the EU's visa policy and ensure rigorous checks on visa-free arrivals of third-country nationals, especially from countries posing security risks or risks related to illegal migration.

While ordinary Russians fleeing war or mobilization typically do not receive passports through special government decrees, the Serbian government has not provided a clear explanation for granting citizenship to these internationally problematic individuals. Some observers suggest that parts of Serbia's political and security apparatus are heavily influenced by Russia, contributing to these decisions.

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The report particularly recognized that acquiring the right to visa-free travel to the EU for Russian citizens through the granting of Serbian citizenship represents a potential security risk for the EU.