Brussels, 30/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 30 June, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Henri Malosse, called on the EU to negotiate a visa-free regime for Russian citizens.
“I propose that the EU make a positive gesture towards the Russian people (…) I therefore propose that the obligation be removed for a visa for Russian citizens travelling to the EU. An immediate measure could be taken for certain categories of Russian citizen - especially young people who want to study or participate in meetings”, Malosse said, in his opening speech at the second EESC meeting with the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum.
In a press conference, Malosse criticised the EU's decision of freezing the negotiations on visas with Russia. One of the first measures taken by the EU towards Russia in connection with the Ukrainian crisis was to suspend, from March 2014 (see EUROPE 11033), the negotiations on visa liberalisation. In Malosse's view, this penalises the people of Russia and he wonders how this could be used by the Russian government.
Malosse said that European and Russian civil society should be more active than ever in the process of bringing citizens together and should step up contacts as much as possible. The EU should also ask Russian academics or organisations to EU events. “We should do this more than usual so that they feel part of the family”, he said.
Malosse stated that the EESC had frozen its contacts with the Russian civic chamber, as an institution, due to the geopolitical situation, but would keep contact with its members. He reiterated the EESC's support to all forms of activity in relation with civil society.
In Malosse's view, the “negative spiral - sanctions against sanctions, weapon against weapon” should be stopped.
In his speech, Malosse said that the EESC stated that the situation of civil society in Russia would not improve, “quite the opposite”, and he particularly highlighted the law on “undesirable” foreign non-governmental organisations. Malosse, the only current president forbidden to enter Russia in connection with the Ukrainian crisis, believed that this underlined that the “current Russian government is frightened of civil society”. “The question is why?” he concluded at the press conference. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)