Talks on liberalization of visa regime with EU to start in spring

A mission of the European Commission will come to Chisinau on March 1-3 to discuss issues concerning the opening of the talks on the liberalization of the visa regime between Moldova and the EU, Info-Prim Neo reports. This fact was reiterated by Deputy Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman, Moldova’s chief negotiator at the talks on the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, at the first meeting of the governmental commission for European integration. “The mission will constitute a first real step towards visa regime liberalization on the part of the European Commission and the EU member states. It will come to assess the state of affairs in such areas as the security of documents, illegal migration, including readmission, public order, justice, foreign relations. The objective of the officials who will discuss with representatives of the mission will be not only to provide correct and updated statistical information, but also to convince them that the government is aware of the EU’s concerns about community security if the visa regime for Moldova is abolished,” she said. Natalia Gherman also said that special attention in the talks on the liberalization of the visa regime will be paid to the problem of document security. According to her, Moldova was repeatedly warned that it should develop the biometric strategy. Emphasis will be laid on strengthening the institutional capacities and modernizing infrastructure, including at the border crossing points, consular offices and authorities who issue passports. The citizens must be stimulated to apply for such passports by reducing costs as the biometric passports meet the EU’s and other countries’ requirements as regards consular matters and trips. Prime Minister Vlad Filat, who chaired the meeting of the commission, stressed that the liberalization of the visas for Moldovan travelers is a priority for the government. He said the EU will provide 2 million euros in financial assistance for issuing biometric passports, which is an indispensable condition for liberalizing the visa regime with the EU. The money will be used to purchase modern equipment for issuing passports. Thus, the passports could be obtained quicker and cheaper, by over 30%. Now a biometric passport costs 75 euros. The Premier instructed officials of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to prepare an informative note on the terms during which the biometric passports are issued. The governmental commission for European integration will convene every month.