Working group on visas will have co-chairpersons representing Foreign Ministry and civil society

The formulation of policies and adjustment of the legislation represent a first step towards the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU. The legislative body should get involved in the first stage of implementing the reforms described in the Plan of Action that was handed over to Moldova on January 24. Civil society should use its expertise in order to increase knowledge and understanding of the policies that are to be adopted and carried out. These are some of the recommendations made by the working group on the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU of the National Convention for European Integration. The recommendations were made public in a news conference held by IDIS “Viitorul” on February 9, Info-Prim Neo reports. The members of the working group say the dialogue on the liberalization of the visa regime will equally depend on the fulfillment of the conditions defined in the Plan of Action and the results of the study to assess the possible impact of the liberalized visa regime on migration and security. They consider an alternative assessment by civil society will be welcome. The experts recommend developing a communication strategy on visas. There should be transparency as regards the conclusions of the European Commission’s assessments and reports on the progress made in implementing the Plan of Action. There must be also strengthened the security of the biometric documents and coordinated the future short- and average-term actions between the Government and civil society. In order to equally represent the public institutions and nongovernmental organizations, there were elected two co-chairpersons of the working group. Daniela Morari will represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, while Victoria Boian – civil society. Besides the working group on visas, borders and the Transnistrian region, the National Convention for European Integration includes two more such groups – for agriculture and regional development, and for trade, services and competition. The National Convention for European Integration Project is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiative (IDIS) “Viitorul”, the Foreign Policy Association, and the Independent Analytical Center “Expert-Grup” with financial support from the Foreign Ministry of Slovakia.