European Parliament visa liberalization rapporteur Tanja Fajon said that the wave of new immigrants to EU seeking asylum must be stopped immediately, urging Western Balkan countries to explain the significance and essence of the visa liberalisation to its citizens.

- Politicians need to elaborate the benefit of the visa liberalisation, instead of using it to win political points, MEP Fajon's office said in a press release.

According to Fajon, latest increase of the number of asylum applications from Serbia and Macedonia to Germany and Belgium opened dilemmas and fears whether the abolition of Schengen visas for these countries was the right decision.

She added that these developments shouldn't hamper the visa liberalisation process for Bosnia & Herzegovina and Albania.

Belgian authorities will begin returning Serb and Macedonian citizens who have requested political asylum in Belgium in a couple of days, announced Belgium's Ambassador to Belgrade, Denise de Hauwere.

- The first trip back will be organised on Wednesday, March 10, when buses with individuals, who have requested asylum in Brussels, will leave for Serbia with interpreters and members of Belgium's immigration services. Belgium will cover costs for the trip as well, she told Radio Free Europe.

The number of applications from Serb citizens for political asylum in Belgium since the beginning of 2010 has increased compared to last year. Only in February 330 citizens of southern Serbia, mainly Albanians and Roma people, requested political asylum. Approximately 20 people sought asylum this month.

The Belgian Ambassador said that this was causing a great problem to Belgium. A decision has been reached to review their applications in a swift procedure.

- There are no conditions for seeking political asylum, because there is no war in Serbia and no one has been exiled due to ethnic or religious reasons, she added, saying that there were no conditions for obtaining economic asylum because it didn't exist as a category.

Belgian authorities will start returning to their home countries the Serbian and Macedonian citizens who have sought political asylum in Belgium, Belgian Ambassador to Serbia Denise de Hauwere has announced.

The first return will be organized on March 10, when buses with people who sought political asylum in Belgium will depart for Serbia, followed by translators and members of the Belgian Immigration Service, and Belgium will bear the costs of the journey, Hauwerer told Radio Free Europe.

The Belgian ambassador pointed out that this is a great problem for Belgium, and added that it has been decided to respond to the requests by a speedy procedure.

There are no conditions for seeking political asylum, since Serbia is not in war, and no one has been persecuted over ethnic or religious reasons explaining that there are no conditions for obtaining economic asylum since it does not exist as a category.