Moldovan President decrees start of negotiations with EU on Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin signed on Thursday, March 15, two decrees in order to initiate negotiations with the EU for concluding the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements. On December 19, the EU Council of Ministers authorised the European Commission to negotiate with Moldova the respective agreements. The Common Visa Application Centre that will issue EU visas is to open on April 25 at the Hungarian Embassy in Chisinau. Franco Frattini, European Commission Vice-President, Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, is expected to officiate at the event. As previously announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the Agreement on visa regime facilitation will provide for certain advantages for Moldovan citizens, will simplify the procedure of issuing long-term multiple visas and will allow issuing free of charge visas for certain group of persons. Moldovan diplomats say that the Centre will surely facilitate these procedures, but at the same, the negotiations with the European Union regarding the maximum facilitation of the visa regime for Moldova’s citizens will certainly continue. EC Vice-President Franco Frattini said during the October 2006 meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council that Moldova will have to assume responsibilities for readmitting its own citizens, as well as achieving progress in fields like justice and home affairs, that is better control of state borders, documents security, migration and asylum, countering of terrorism, organised crime and corruption. The need of a firmer approach in dealing with illegal migration by Moldova was also underlined by all the EU representatives at the Council’s meeting. The issue of free visas for Moldovans was also emphasised, once the issuance fee might reach EUR 60, which is the same as an average monthly wage or two pensions for a Moldovan. Under these circumstances, the fee could be reduced to EUR 35. The European Union has already concluded an agreement on visa regime facilitation with Russia and has begun negotiations for another agreement of this kind with Ukraine. Negotiations with West Balkan countries are underway.