Common Visa Application Centre to open on April 25

The inauguration of the Common Visa Application Centre will be held on April 25 currently. European Commission Vice-President, Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini is expected to officiate at the event. This was made public Thursday, March 15, at the meeting of President Vladimir Voronin with EU Special Representative for Moldova Kalman Miszei. The collocutors mentioned that this event will be the first step taken towards the facilitation of visa regime for Moldovan citizens. Kalman Miszei underlined the UE’s interest in a final political settlement of the Transnistrian dispute and in strengthening the existent dialogue between Moldova and EU. During the discussion the collocutors exchanged opinions regarding the prospect of resuming negotiations on the Transnistrian issue in “5+2” format, stressing the necessity of joining efforts in finding a sustainable solution to the dispute. As regards Moldova-EU relations, issues related to negotiations regarding the Agreement on Visa Regime Facilitation and the Agreement on granting autonomous commercial preferences to Moldova were brought up for discussion as well. It was mentioned that the opening of the Common Visa Application Centre, within the Embassy of Hungary in Moldova, will be the first step taken to facilitate the visa regime for Moldovan citizens. The same subjects were also discussed during the meeting of the European official with Speaker Marian Lupu. The speaker also stressed the importance of negotiating new legal and commercial arrangements in Moldova-EU relations. For his part, the EU Representative said Moldova needs to become more attractive for people living on the left bank of Nistru River. “It is important that Moldova proves through democratic changes of economic and social nature, as well as from the viewpoint of the freedom of citizens and institutions, that the European option is a right one”, Kalman Mizsei said. Also on Thursday, President Vladimir Voronin signed two decrees concerning the initiation of the negotiations with a view to concluding the Agreement between Moldova and EU regarding the facilitation of visa regime, as well as the Readmission Agreement.