A new investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has raised concerns that sanctioned Russian individuals may be gaining indirect access to the European Union through Serbian citizenship.
According to the analysis, Serbia has this year granted citizenship to four times more Russian nationals than to citizens of all other nationalities combined. Some of those granted citizenship are reportedly individuals who are under international sanctions.
Because Serbia maintains a visa-free regime with the European Union under its current travel arrangements, Serbian passports can allow holders to travel freely across much of Europe. This has triggered concern among EU officials and security analysts, who see it as a potential loophole in the enforcement of sanctions.
The report suggests that this pathway could create a “back door” into Europe, where individuals restricted under sanctions regimes may still obtain mobility rights indirectly through naturalisation in Serbia.
The development is being viewed in the context of broader EU concerns about alignment with foreign policy standards in candidate and partner countries, particularly regarding sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
