More Serb nationals seeking asylum in Sweden

˝None of them will be granted asylum and all will be sent back home in the coming days under an emergency procedure,˝ ambassador said.

BELGRADE, March 11, 2010 (AFP) - Increasing numbers of Serbian citizens have sought asylum in Sweden following the introduction in December of a visa-free system, an ambassador said in a newspaper on Thursday.

"There are currently 770 Serbian citizens in Sweden, most of whom are Romas, who request political asylum," Swedish ambassador in Belgrade Krister Bringeus was quoted saying in the Danas daily.

"All 770 people came to Sweden in last two months, which is equal to the number of people that have come to the country during the entire last year. We are very concerned over the situation," Bringeus said.

"None of them will be granted asylum and all will be sent back home in the coming days under an emergency procedure," Bringeus added.

Sweden is second EU state to have raised an alarm over an influx of asylum seekers.

In December the European Union lifted visa restrictions for citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia who are now allowed to travel freely into the Schengen zone which covers a majority of EU countries.

Belgium has since then seen a sharp rise in asylum requests from ethnic Albanians.

According to figures from Belgium, 58 Albanians from Serbia and Macedonia sought asylum there in January and the number swelled to 330 in February.

Serbia has said it would take back all those who sought asylum in accordance with agreements on readmission it signed with EU member states.

The first bus carring failed Serbian and Macedonian asylum seekers from Belgium was expected to arrive to the southern Serbian town of Presevo and northern Macedonian town of Kumanovo on Thursday.