Brussels, 06/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the general election in Serbia, 17 European countries have undertaken to deliver visas free of charge to Serbian nationals to support the country's European orientation, said a joint press release published by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday 6 May. This decision is in response to the European Commission and Slovenian EU Presidency call on 18 April for a show of the whole EU's support for Serbia's European ambitions (see EUROPE 9648). “Over and above our support for Serbia to help it move closer to the European Union, we have decided to make full use of the flexibility with regard to Serbia referred to by the European Commission to deliver visas free of charge to all individual applicants who fall within one of the already determined visa facilitation categories, in full compliance with the Schengen acquis”, the text says. It is signed by 16 EU member states (France, Slovenia, Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Luxemburg, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden) and by Norway. This move comes a few days before the general election in Serbia on 11 May, which is seen by many as a vote for or against EU integration. (B.C.)