EU does not accept idea to set up new Centre for Visa Facilitation for Moldovans - Andrei Stratan

The European Union (EU) did not accept the idea to create in Chisinau a new European Centre that would facilitate visa issuance for Moldovan citizens, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan stated on Thursday, February 22. This office will operate within the diplomatic mission of Hungary. “We must make it possible for this office to open, to involve more EU member states, and I see no point in organising political competitions when opening such offices”, Stratan stated, when asked to comment on Romania’s intention to coordinate the office’s activity. Stratan said he did not understand the intention to create a similar office under the auspices of another EU member state. “For Chisinau, this thing has no sense, moreover it is inopportune”, Stratan said. Intentions of this kind should be consulted with Chisinau authorities, before tackling respective subjects in Brussels or in other European capitals, the cited source said. Recently, Romania announced its intention to coordinate the European Joint Centre. The Romanian Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs announced a week ago that the EU member states and the European Commission gave go-ahead to Romania to engage in the opening of a joint visa issuance centre in Chisinau. The EU member countries in concert with representatives of the European Commission will open on February 26 talks regarding the opening of the joint European visa issuance centre in Chisinau, following the proposal from Romania’s authorities, reads the quoted press release. As Chisinau authorities say, the Centre will start its activity in April and initially will issue visas for Hungary, Austria and Slovenia.