Reformation of Interior Ministry should be a top priority in visa liberalization process, NGO

In the process of implementing the plan of action on the liberalization of the visa regime, the Moldovan authorities should focus first of all on the reformation of the Ministry of the Interior and the combating of corruption, considers Eugen Revenco, program director of the Foreign Policy Association, and Leonid Litra, deputy director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, who recently paid a fact-finding visit to Macedonia and Serbia, which already obtained this regime with the EU, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on Monday, the experts said that the reform of the Ministry of the Interior made the greatest contribution to the liberalization of the visa regime in Serbia and Macedonia. Eugen Revenco said that the Moldovan authorities should learn from the example of the Balkan states and strengthen decision making and check the quality of reform implementation. He stressed that Moldova must become free from the Council of Europe monitoring. Otherwise, the talks on the liberalization of the visa regime will last endlessly. The expert also said that Moldova needs a positive image in the EU member states, especially in those that are not in favor of facilitating the visa regime for Moldovan travelers. In the same connection, Leonid Litra said the Moldovan authorities should keep a record of the number of applications for visas, work permits and other documents that are turned down by the EU as they contribute to building a negative image to Moldova. Moreover, they should clearly define the method of setting the prices of documents, especially biometric passports that are rather expensive. The expert gave as example the price of a biometric passport in Serbia, where it is €20, in contrast to €50 in Moldova.