Southeastern Europe is concerned about Vienna’s new measures against six Western Balkans in view of the problematic pandemic situation there. Other EU countries also see it like Austria.
The reaction came immediately: “Barrier for Serbian citizens – Austria decides not to open the borders despite the EU recommendation”, headlined the website of the Serbian newspaper “Blic” on Wednesday afternoon. Blic continued: “This decision can create major problems for citizens of the Western Balkans because many companies have already warned their workers that if they travel to countries on the Foreign Ministry list, they will face employment law consequences. “
In Montenegro’s capital Podgorica, the newspaper “Vijesti” reported: “Austria warns against trips to Montenegro.” The Bosnian web portal “072info” reported sadly: “Austria is putting us on the black list.”
On Wednesday morning, the Austrian authorities made public what “Die Presse” had previously reported: travel warnings were issued against six countries in the Western Balkans because of the corona crisis. The measure affects Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro Migrants and Austrians with roots in these countries were asked by the government in Vienna to refrain from traveling to the Western Balkans this summer, as Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer, Minister of Health Rudolf Anschober and Minister of Integration Susanne Raab marched at a press conference on Wednesday .
Increased illnesses among Balkan returnees
In Austria, new cases of returnees from the Western Balkans are increasing, Schallenberg justified the travel warning with the highest security level 6: Compatriots who are currently in the region are “strongly” advised to leave Vienna.
“I am aware that this decision – especially with regard to the summer vacation – is a very painful one for many people in Austria,” said Schallenberg. However, the situation in the Western Balkans has “not developed so positively in the past few days and weeks Unfortunately, the opposite is the case. “
Serbia hits Austria’s measure hard. The good news of the impending lifting of entry restrictions into the EU had been spread in Serbian media for days. But even though Serbia and Montenegro are also on the list of the 14 non-EU countries for which Brussels recommends that all entry restrictions be lifted on July 1st, there is no feeling of jubilation now: This is not just about Austria’s latest move. Indeed, due to increasing infection rates, more and more EU members are hesitating to implement the Brussels recommendation.
Fear of a high number of unreported cases
EU members such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Slovenia refrain from the lifting of travel restrictions announced by Brussels. The Western Balkans seem to be increasingly losing control of the pandemic that has been spreading rapidly over the past few days. The official infection numbers are rising rapidly, but hardly reflect the actual extent of the epidemic: the number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher.
In Serbia, the official number of new infections has risen from under 100 to just under 300 since the parliamentary election on June 21. All hospitals are full, there are no more tests, patients are sent home with clear symptoms, says Rade Panić, the chairman of the medical and pharmacy union, describing the situation. Citizens should neither trust politicians nor the crisis team, but should take care of their health, “because doctors can hardly help them anymore”.
Doctors protest against Prime Minister
During a visit by Prime Minister Ana Brnabić in Novi Pazar in southern Serbia, her nurses and doctors turned their backs in protest. While Brnabić assured that “everything was under control”, the tearful resident Senada Jasarević shouted angrily that her mother had died at night and that there was no place in the hospital for her sick father: “Stop the lies!”
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