Georgian pass to EU: "We don't need no thought control"

     Georgian aspire to travel to the Schengen zone without a visa will soon come true. This week the majority of the European Parliament voted for visa-free regime for Georgian citizenship. The procedure still requires some technical realizations. In case of increase of migration or asylum seekers from Georgia, EU will be able to suspend the visa-free travel. The regime is designed for travelling, visiting and business purposes trip but not working on the territory of Schengen. Ukraine is going through similar procedure of EU visa liberalization. However, the war in Eastern Ukraine brings the case on another level of consideration and procedures.  

Belarus opens doors for tourists - visa free regime

    Yesterday Belarusians welcomed a new decree on the visa free entrance for the foreign visitors to Belarus. New decree was anticipated already in September 2016 when the five-days visit to Augustow Canal was introduced. Before visa free regime was established only on the Belarusian site of Bialowieza Forest to where foreign visitors could come crossing the Polish-Belarusian boarder in the forest. From now on the citizens of 80 countries (incl. EU, USA, Japan, Australia and Canada) are able to visit Belarus for five days without a visa with the condition of arriving to the Minsk International Airport. Such possibility does not spread on transit visitors travelling to or from Russia. Finally foreign visitors are able to discover and enjoy the natural beauty of Belarus without additional obstacles.

Bialowieza Forest

Belarus: homo sovieticus mindset still wins

              While Belarus tries its best to improve its cooperation with West - what is a very rational step, subconsciously it is still on the other side of iron curtain. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, stated that Belarus would like to have good neighbourhood relations with its partners from West like the EU and other geopolitical enemies like US and China. The Minister probably meant “players” but the homo sovieticus mindset did not want to give up so easily. In the psychoanalysis it is called a Freudian slip, but how is it called in the politics?

Ukraine: visa liberalisation on the way

                The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of European Parliament approved to waive the visa requirements for Ukrainians. Previously, the visa liberalisation was expected to be implemented this summer. However, due to several legal and security issues that EU has to establish before Ukrainians would be able to enter the Schengen zone without a visa, it was postponed. Visa free regime will allow citizens of Ukraine who has valid biometric passports to visit Schengen zone (EU area excluding Ireland and UK and including Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) for business, touristic or family purpose. It does not give the right to work or stay longer than 90 days after entering. In order to finalize visa liberalisation Parliament and Council has to vote. 

Georgia: EU visa free movement dispute

Georgian state has fulfilled all requirements to obtain a visa-free movement for its citizens in the European Union. Delay in EU visa liberation for Georgia is a result of foreseeing approach to the process by Germany and France. Politicians of these countries would prefer to have a back up plan: fast return of visa regime if there is a rise of illegal actions caused by Georgians (or other nations granted visa-free movement) in EU. In media Georgian situation is presented along with Turkish, however, these cases are very different. Georgians just need a little bit of patience, meanwhile there is a long process of negotiations regarding requirements fulfilment with Turkey.

Of two evils choose the lesser

Everyone knows the usefulness of “carrot and stick” politics. However, sometimes neither carrot nor stick brings visible results. On the 15^th February Belarusian government got a carrot one more time. After the 4 moths suspension the European Union has lift sanctions against 170 Belarusian individuals including the president, A. Lukashenko, permanently. What was the reason of such a weighty decision? Human rights are still abused. There was no transparency during the presidential elections. Belarusian opposition insists on the sanction maintenance. But the real answer is somewhere else. It is in Russia.

Regional imbalance: visa liberalisation for Ukraine, sanctions for Russia

      Today, on the 14^th of December, the Foreign Affairs Council discusses the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Frederica Morgherini, denied the possibility of a debate on the extension of the economic sanctions against Russia on this level. According to her, there is no dispute regarding this subject among the foreign ministers. This topic will be raised on the summit of the European Council this week. 

      Before today’s foreign ministers meeting, the commissioner for ENP and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, commented the possibility for a non-visa regime for Ukraine as a positive step. There is a high probability that very soon the citizens of Ukraine and Georgia will not need a visa in order to visit the countries of the EU.

Belarus is not ready for visa liberation with the EU

       While Ukrainian government is eager to get the visa-free regime with the EU, hoping for its launching in 2016, Belarusian Foreign Ministry is somehow surprised by the proposal of the EU officials of visa liberation. The agreement is ready for the initialling and signing. The main concerns of the Belarusian government are the policy of the readmission, and lack of the infrastructure for the citizens of the third countries. The situation is much more complicated: Belarus should make the same gesture towards EU citizens obtaining Belarusian visa. And what about millions EUR income per year? In order to obtain Schengen visa through Polish consulate, Belarusian citizen have to pay besides 60 EUR visa price, 150-200 EUR local service company, because the registration page of the consulate is blocked by nobody knows who. And in the end, for Belarusian government is more safe when its citizens are "safe" home.

When will we stop selling our values?

   Apparently, for the Italian government it is not enough thousands of deaths and ruined lives in the Eastern Ukraine. It is not also enough - the Russian military destroys civilians and necessary for living infrastructure in Syria.
  The six moths extension of the sanctions against the Russia had to be agreed on the meeting EU member states held on the 9th of December. However, Italy opposed, referring to the big economic loses. Of course, it is more convenient to speak out loud your values, keeping your pocket safe. But will it bring any change to the world? How many more lives should “eat” Russian monster, before the European politicians will stop feeding him?

Three get closer, three standstill

    On the 14^th of December the Council of the European Union will discuss the cooperation with its Eastern European Partners. The emphasis of the ministers’ meeting will be the Free Trade Area with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
   On the contrary,  three other members of the Eastern Partnership – Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan – do not make any positive steps towards better cooperation with the EU.

   

Armenia: violations on the Constitutional Reform

       Referendum on the constitution change was held in Armenia on the 6th of December. It concerned the switch from a presidential system of government to a parliamentarian. In that regard the president will be able to stay at the office seven years instead of five. President also will be chosen by the parliament, not by the people. Protests of opposition side occurred on the streets of Yerevan this Friday. “Referendum results do not reflect the free will of Armenian citizens and should not be considered to be legitimate” – state the citizen Observer Initiative and the European Platform for Democratic Elections.

      Meanwhile, the negotiation on the new trade agreement between Armenia and the EU reopened in Brussels. The European Union hopes it will bring the new opportunities for the further investments and trade development with Armenia. However, the participation of Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) along with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and the strong Russian influence in the country can be serious obstacles for the future agreement. The Russian-Turkish conflict also brings a new role for the Armenia in the region.