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Video: Russia Today, October
11, 2011
On Friday, October 7, young politicians from the EU countries
and Russia gathered together in Moscow so that to discuss
the possibility of introduction of a visa-free regime between
Russia and the EU. The meeting was held within a broad discussion
in Russia and Europe and adoption of a resolution by the European
parliament calling the EU to simplify the visa procedures
for citizens of the BRIC countries.
The first definite proposals were voiced by the young politicians
from Russia and the EU last Friday. They sent their draft
law to the European Parliament envisaging visa free entrance
into the Schengen zone for Russian citizens onboard passenger
planes with international passports and a two-way tickets.
Olga Vlasova, YABLOKO's representative in the Youth Public
Chamber of Russia, said that “elimination of the remnants
of the iron curtain and the cold war policies should be Russia
and EU common strategic short-term goal”.
It should be noted that the idea of a visa free regime between
Russia and the EU was developed by the YABLOKO party as early
as in 1995. YABLOKO’s MPs then insisted that elimination the
visa barrier between Russia and Europe should be examined
and solved by politicians rather than bureaucrats. Also, according
to YABLOKO, elimination of visa barriers and free communication
among the citizens of the EU and the Russian Federation would
enable the Russian citizens to experience the achievements
of Western democracies and see how democratic institutions
function and build a true democracy in Russia.
However, it took several years for YABLOKO to make Russian
officials adopt this idea. For many years YABLOKO has been
the only party really working in this field and conducting
negotiations with European parties, agencies and organisations.
In Europe YABLOKO was supported by liberal politicians from
ELDR and ALDE who spoke in favour of elimination of visas.
See also:
Russia-EU
Relations
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