Parliament abolished visa regime for EU, Switzerland, USA, Canadian and Japanese citizens

The citizens of EU member states, Switzerland, USA, Canada and Japan will have the possibility to visit Moldova without visas. The Parliament approved on June 8, in final reading a draft law on this issue. The document stipulates the unilateral abolishment, starting January 1, 2007, of the visa regime for the citizens of the mentioned-above states. In an alternative project, the deputy Petru Gozun proposes free visa regime for a period of up to 90 days for citizens of the mentioned countries, and also of Norway and Israel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration considered appropriate to establish the traveling regime with those 2 states by bilateral agreements. As well, the proposal to include in this list Bulagia was not accepted, because it will most probably join EU on January 1, 2007. Previously the minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Andrei Stratan, declared in front of the Parliament that the unilateral abolishing by Moldova of the visa regime for EU member states, USA, Switzerland, Canada and Japan will contribute to amplifying the inter-institutional dialogue, especially with the European Union, and will eliminate a supplementary obstacle for tourists and investors.