Serbia plans to join the European Union. President Boris Tadic will visit Sweden, which currently holds the EU presidency, to submit a request for EU membership on Tuesday.

Serbia's desire to join the EU had been opposed by a number of countries including the Netherlands for some time because of its failure to cooperate fully with the Yugoslavia tribunal.

Now that Serbia is willing to cooperate, the Netherlands has dropped its objections.

Since Saturday, people living in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia are allowed to visit EU countries without a visa.

The three former Yugoslavian countries celebrated the scrapping of travel restrictions with fireworks and special concerts.

The EU introduced visas in 1991 after the break up of Yugoslavia.

Photo: Serb President Boris Tadic - Wikipedia