Switzerland could join Common Visa Application Center in Chisinau

As Switzerland is to join the Schengen area on November 1, 2008, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs will consider the possibility of joining the EU Common Visa Application Center in Chisinau. The Secretary of State and head of the Departments’ Directorate of Political Affairs Michael Ambühl announced this at the bilateral Moldovan-Swiss consultations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova informs. Speaking on the Transnistrian conflict, the Swiss officials have enquired about the latest developments in the settlement process, especially about the situation created after Kosovo declared its independence. Michael Ambühl reiterated Switzerland’s position that the dispute should be solved by preserving Moldova’s territorial integrity. During the inter-ministerial consultations, the participants discussed the present relations between Moldova and the European Union as well as different aspects of bilateral cooperation: the political dialogue, the economic cooperation, the technical and financial assistance provided by the Swiss Government through the Representative Office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Chisinau, including the consular relations. The EU Common Visa Application Center inaugurated in April 2007 now issues visas for seven European states counting Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Iceland. From April 1, the Center will also issue visas for Sweden. About 700 applications for visas have been submitted at the Center since the start of this year, Info-Prim Neo reports.