Russia pushing for EU Visa-Free Travel deal in January

[webfact]

Russia Pushing for EU Visa-Free Travel Deal in January

MOSCOW, December 6 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is pushing for a visa-free travel deal to be inked with the European Union as soon as January, but the Western bloc has yet to signal willingness to finalize any agreements and the project may be pushed back another year, a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said Friday.

A long series of biannual meetings between Russia and the EU have failed to yield any tangible results in loosening visa restrictions or establishing a visa-free regime between the two.

However, Moscow is ready to sign a visa-free regime with the bloc at an EU-Russia summit scheduled for January 2014 “if the EU countries and the European Commission demonstrate the necessary political will,” said Anvar Azimov, ambassador-at-large for Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

He said that Moscow has offered to hold a working meeting to discuss development of the agreement, but that the European side hasn't responded.

Noting that it's now too late to enter into a visa-free regime in 2014, Azimov said that Russia would still like to finalize an agreement to be implemented next year.

The sides have, however, reached an understanding on biometric passports – one of the preconditions of the visa deal.

Azimov said Russia had agreed to limit the number of people eligible to enter the EU without a visa to those with biometric passports, which contain electronic security features.

About 10,000 Russians currently hold biometric passports, and the government won’t grant more than 6,000 additional ones in the near future, Azimov said.

He added that 180,000 EU officials currently had biometric passports.

Russia and the EU reached a visa facilitation agreement in 2007 to lower visa fees, simplify procedures and make multientry visas more accessible.

Moscow has made visa-free travel with the EU a foreign-policy priority. However, resistance within the EU towards further visa liberalization remains, due to fears that it could lead to a rise in illegal immigration and crime.

Source: http://en.ria.ru/russia/20131207/185311112/Russia-Pushing-for-EU-Visa-Free-Travel-Deal-in-January.html

-- RIA Novosti 2013-12-07

[jpinx]

That's a bit rich when they pressurised Ukraine to not sign the EU agreement on trade

[folium]

And people worry about an influx of Romanians and Bulgarians....!

[7by7]

Visa free travel between Russia and the EU wouldn't mean a sudden influx of Russians coming to live in the EU; Russia would have to join the EU for Russian citizens to have that right.

[Credo]

The problem with the Russians is that if they come, they might not go back. The EU is pretty slow in making people return from whence they came.

[folium]

The problem with the Russians is that if they come, they might not go back. The EU is pretty slow in making people return from whence they came.

Quite a funny article about the Russians in "Londingrad"

http://rbth.co.uk/opinion/2013/05/28/contradicting_russian_stereotypes_mission_impossible_in_london_26469.html

London's Russian population is probably around 300,000 already.

You know that this has to be a bad idea when ethically-challenged crooks entrepreneurs such as Berlusconi are touching their toes for Putin over this:

http://en.ria.ru/world/20080418/105424007.html

I'm sure LOS has really benefited in terms of cultural enrichment from the recent influx of Russians.

Cyprus is a classic example of the joys of getting too close to the Bear.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/26/cyprus-russian-invasion

[osiboy]

The problem with the Russians is that if they come, they might not go back. The EU is pretty slow in making people return from whence they came.

Quite a funny article about the Russians in "Londingrad"

http://rbth.co.uk/opinion/2013/05/28/contradicting_russian_stereotypes_mission_impossible_in_london_26469.html

London's Russian population is probably around 300,000 already.

You know that this has to be a bad idea when ethically-challenged crooks entrepreneurs such as Berlusconi are touching their toes for Putin over this:

http://en.ria.ru/world/20080418/105424007.html

I'm sure LOS has really benefited in terms of cultural enrichment from the recent influx of Russians.

Cyprus is a classic example of the joys of getting too close to the Bear.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/26/cyprus-russian-invasion

wow, interesting articles , how spineless is the EU ? Cyprus should should be kicked out , they knew where that cargo was going and EU troops may be killed by the very same ammo .

[surfinglife]

And people worry about an influx of Romanians and Bulgarians....!

This is only to allow visa-free entry for a limited period (same as Thaland), not to allow them to reside or work

[godden]

sorry musgo

[folium]

And people worry about an influx of Romanians and Bulgarians....!

This is only to allow visa-free entry for a limited period (same as Thaland), not to allow them to reside or work

Like farangs in Thailand!?

[NeverSure]

And people worry about an influx of Romanians and Bulgarians....!

This is only to allow visa-free entry for a limited period (same as Thaland), not to allow them to reside or work

Like farangs in Thailand!?

Like farangs Russians in Thailand!?

[jreidy]

DON'T, You will live to regret it.

First will come tourists, not the most pleasant tourists on earth. Then Russian Mafia, then the mafia girls in large numbers.

Remember that Russia is bullying it's neighbours from too close a relationship with Europe.

[NeverSure]

Careful. Russia includes Kazan, Tatarstan, a predominately Muslim region from which has come many problems. That one city alone has 1.14 million inhabitants.

Even Putin has been willing to work with the US on intelligence on those people who have done terrorist acts in Russia and the US. The "Pressure Cooker" bomber leader went there just before the killings in the US.

14% of the population of Russia is Muslim, according to Reuters. That would be OK if they didn't have a terrorist problem.

[Chicog]

Well going back to Cyprus, if this doesn't fill Ayia Napa with trafficked Soviet sex workers, I don't know what will. There's already thousands of them in the country.

[Jay Sata]

And people worry about an influx of Romanians and Bulgarians....!

This is only to allow visa-free entry for a limited period (same as Thaland), not to allow them to reside or work

Like farangs in Thailand!?

Like farangs Russians in Thailand!?

As Eric Idle would say.....'Say no more'.