Krzalovski: Trump’s decision on visas applies to the whole world, it is not a political message to the Balkans

Analyst and Director of the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation Aleksandar Krzalovski assessed that the US decision to halt the issuance of immigrant visas for 75 countries does not send a political message to the Western Balkans, since the measure applies globally.

“The decision is linked to Trump’s announcement from two or three weeks ago, when precisely these 75 countries were listed whose residents, in fact applicants for immigrant visas, were also on the list of recipients of social assistance in America. At that time, the percentages of benefit use were published. For example, for Kosovo it was 41 percent, for Albania 45 percent or vice versa. North Macedonia was on that list with 33 percent. That means every third citizen, a national of North Macedonia who applied for an immigrant visa to America, also received social assistance. The aim of this measure is to discourage coming to America in order to be a burden on the US social system. That is why Serbia is not on the list, while countries that had more than 25 percent of citizens receiving social assistance are included,” Krzalovski told Kosovo Online.

He notes that the list primarily includes countries from Africa, but also some from Latin America, and generally states where the economic situation is poor.

“The goal here is to prevent abuse of the system, that is, to attract people who want to come and contribute to the American economy, not to be a burden on the American system. The fact that our countries are also like that, meaning our citizens who went there and immediately applied, may partly be a matter of mentality, trying to get everything that can be obtained. It is obvious that things will be tightened there and will probably stabilize, meaning that in the next period only people who truly want to go there and work will receive such a visa,” the analyst emphasized.

He reiterated that he does not see this as a political message, but rather an economic or socio-economic one, although it has nevertheless been used for some disputes.

“The logic is very elementary and clear, unlike many other things Trump has done in this period, but I think this will pass quickly because other visas are completely different. Tourist and business visas, which we use from here, are dominant. I do not believe this will significantly affect further processes,” Krzalovski concluded.