The European Commission announced yesterday that Macedonia could expect full liberalization of the visa regime in year 2009.

“Macedonia fulfilled the criteria for liberalization of the visa regime,” Deputy Prime Minister Bocevski said. He met with EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom, and Security Jacques Barrot. Bocevski stated that it was stressed at the meeting that Macedonia is making excellent progress in the reforms necessary for canceling of the visa regime. The biometric passports, the integrated border administration, the National Visa Center, and the EU’s assessment that Macedonia is not a country with high immigration risk are the elements that put Macedonia high on the list of countries for which the EU could cancel the visa regime.