March 10, 2010

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that at the border tomorrow morning, a bus is expected with the first group of citizens of Serbia and Macedonia, who are sent back from Belgium where they sought political asylum. Pointing that in most cases at issue are Albanian families who withdrew the request for asylum and expressed a wish to return voluntarily, Dacic said that of 44 people in the bus, 21 are Serbian citizens, mostly from Presevo. The Minister said that in the coming days the organized arrival is expected of a number of Serbian citizens, who also gave up the request for asylum and want to return home. Belgian authorities believe that Serbia is a democratic country, which is why they rarely grant requests for political asylum - explained Dacic. Ambassador of Belgium to Belgrade, Denise de Hauwere said that since the beginning of the year, the asylum in that country was sought by about 500 citizens of Serbia, most of whom are Albanians from the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanovac in southern Serbia. They have voluntarily agreed to return to their country after they were told that asylum cannot be obtained for economic reasons, stated Hauwere underlining that the official position of Brussels was conveyed directly to representatives of local authorities in Presevo and Bujanovac.