Moldova and Hungary will sign memorandum on cooperation in visa issuance

The Moldovan Government will initiate negotiations on a Memorandum draft regarding cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova (MFAEI) and the Hungarian Foreign Ministry with respect to the Common Visa Application Centre in Chisinau. The Memorandum provides the organisation of the Common Visa Application Centre for the EU member states and cooperation in Schengen space by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary. The signing of such a memorandum was suggested by the Moldovan side in an effort to set up a mechanism for cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two states. The Memorandum will be concluded for a one-year period, but the term might be extended upon parties’ consent. The Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan told reporters that the Centre will be inaugurated as it was previously planned, on April 25. Vice president of European Commission, Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini, and Foreign Ministers of Hungary and Austria, will participate in the event. Stratan said that MFAEI is also expecting confirmations regarding the participation in the inauguration of the other representatives of EU member states and European institutions. Initially, the Centre will operate within the Embassy of Hungary, issuing visas for Hungary, Austria and Slovenia. The centre’s activity will spare Moldovan citizens from going to Bucharest, Kiev or Budapest to receive visas for the abovementioned EU countries, which do not have consular missions in Chisinau. Recently, the Hungarian party informed MFAEI that Denmark and Latvia voiced their willingness to join the three countries. Other EU member states are also examining the possibility of participating in the Centre’s activity, including Finland, Estonia and Belgium.