Moldovans Likely to Travel without Visas to EU Starting from May 2014
The Moldovans might travel without visas to the European Union starting from May 2014. MEPs Tanja Fajon and Marian Jean Marinescu today made a proposal on the matter within the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament.
The two MEPs said that the proposal to lift the visas for the Moldovan citizens holding biometric passports should be adopted by the European Parliament and Council before the European Parliament election due in May 2014.
The European rapporteurs for Moldova said that the European Commission’s proposal to cancel the visas for Moldovans originated from the significant progress recorded by Moldova over the past three and a half years. The country has become the single Eastern Partnership state meeting all the conditions for the visa liberalisation. At the same time, the rapporteurs specified that „without affecting the state and the situation in the Transnistrian breakaway region, this process will bring benefits to the Moldovan citizens and the European perspective will contribute to the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian issue”.
The lifting of the visas for the Moldovans is an important step for Moldova’s integration into the European Union, as well as recognition of the efforts taken by the Chisinau government,” Marinescu said.
Also today, LIBE approved a report by Marian Jean Marinescu on the introduction of a financial assistance instrument for external borders and visas. The financial assistance provided to Moldova will amount to 2.76 billion euros for 2014-2020.
Source: moldpres.md
Tags: Eastern Partnership, EU, Moldova, Schengen, travel, visa free, visa liberalization