Brussels, 18/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 April 2013, the European Parliament gave the go-ahead to the EU visa facilitation agreements with Ukraine and Moldova, changing the 2008 visa facilitation agreement to allow some holders of Ukrainian and Moldovan passports to travel in the EU on cheaper, simplified visas. The new system applies to reporters, civil society and NGO representatives, students and researchers.
For Ukraine, the agreement has been questioned by human rights activists because of the imprisonment of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, but EP rapporteur Claude Moraes (S&D, UK) argued that it would help the process of democracy in the Ukraine to have the agreement because it will facilitate better communication and liaison on human rights issues. He admitted, however, that stronger relations between Ukraine the EU and the visa facilitation system should not be pursued until certain concerns were lifted, such as a draft Ukrainian law on “homosexual propaganda” that is homophobic and discriminates against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals, said Moraes. He said any progress with the country should be conditional upon improvements to ensure better the civil liberties and rights of LGBT people.
The agreement adopted on Thursday removes the €70 visa application fee for the above-mentioned groups, simplifies the paperwork and clarifies measures concerning the length of multi-entry visas. It exempts from the visa requirement short-stay trips to the EU for holders of biometric passport-holders working for the Ukrainian government.
For Moldova, the agreement states that Moldovans who are close relatives of European passport-holders, or are journalists and members of their teams, young people attending conferences and cultural, sports and educational events organised by NGOs and civil society representatives are totally exempt from the visa requirement. The issuing of multi-entry visas for spouses, children and parents visiting Moldovans living legally in the EU will also be simplified. (SP/transl.fl)