The number of fake asylum seekers from Macedonia has been substantially reduced, Minister without Portfolio Nedzet Mustafa said Tuesday in Bitola at a debate on putting an end to abusing the visa liberalization.

"The Government has been informing all citizens, not only those of Roma origin, that quasi tourist agencies have been cheating people by promising them documents for residing in other countries," Mustafa said.

He urged citizens to respect the free-visa system, as it would be a disaster if the visa requirements were to be re-instituted.

"Citizens must not abuse their travelling document and expect to be granted asylum status in other countries. The attempts of some Roma people to emigrate also have negative affect on the education of their children and we must stop that," Mustafa said.