Brussels, 27/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 27 October, the EU27 home affairs ministers meeting in Luxembourg endorsed a European Commisison suggestion to facilitate travel for people living in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad who regularly cross the border with Poland. In July 2011, EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström suggested changing an EU regulation of 2006 to make all of the Kaliningrad enclave and part of the bordering region of Poland into a “border area” so that Poland can negotiate an agreement with Russia to allow Kaliningrad residents to travel through Poland without a visa in a border area of between 30 km and 50 km. The Commission justified this on the grounds that it would avoid having to divide up the region and would make life easier for Europeans living in Kaliningrad. It will also stimulate trade.
The idea went down well at the Council of Minsters, which will now enter negotiations with the European Parliament, explains a close source, adding that guarantees had to be added because some member states wanted the deal to be restricted to Kaliningrad so that it was not seen as a precedent. The Commission and the Council agreed that they would issue a statement pointing out that the proposal is for a specific area and does not apply to other regions or zones. (SP/transl.fl)