Francken:Serbia free country, do not seek asylum in Belgium

BELGRADE - Serbia is a democratic and free country, and anyone seeking asylum in Belgium on those grounds will not get it, Belgium's State Secretary for Asylum and Immigration Theo Francken said on Monday.

Those seeking asylum on economic grounds should know that it is "not all milk and honey" in Belgium either, Francken said at a joint news conference with Serbia's Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic.

The Belgian government has not considered a possible suspension of the visa-free regime, and there is no reason for that to happen now when there is a considerable decline in the number of asylum seekers coming from Serbia.

Pointing to the issue of migrants that arrive from Africa, go across the territory of Serbia, and then to Belgium, Francken said that all should join forces to tackle this problem and secure borders in the best possible way.

FRANCKEN: CHAPTER 24 SHOULD BE OPENED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Belgian State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration Theo Francken stated Monday that, as for Serbia's EU integration process, it is very important to open talks on Chapter 24 - justice, freedom and security.

This is very important for even more successful fight against all types of organized crime, extremism and internal security, Francken said at a joint press conference in Belgrade, after meeting with Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic.

The Belgian state secretary commended the Serbian government, which, as he put it, is committed to the continuation of EU integration, adding that the European Commission and the EU itself are also seriously committed to the process.

Stefanovic stated that the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs should complete the third version of the action...