President of the RF
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin,
Chairman of the European Commission
Romano Prodi,
Heads of European Union member states,
Leaders of parliaments of the European Community member states
Dear Sirs,
We, the undersigned citizens of the RF, support the initiative of the YABLOKO party to eliminate the visa regime between Russia and EU member states. Russia is a European country and we have the right to feel that we are fully-fledged representatives of the European civilization.
We realise the concerns of a number of EU countries, but we think that these problems can be resolved. At the Russia-EU summit in St. Petersburg most of the participants agreed with the idea of abolishing the visa regime between Russia and EU. The most important thing now is that the political will of the leaders is not lost in bureaucratic delays.
This requires the following:
- the Russian side should develop, adopt and introduce into power amendments into Russian laws that would correspond with the interests of the security of Russia and EU;
- Russia together with the EU should adopt definite programmes for cooperation in the fight with illegal migration, drugs traffic and the resolution of other problems hindering the introduction of visa-free regime;
- The EU should prepare amendments to the regulatory base of the European Union and international agreements regulating the conditions of stay of foreigners in Schengen countries;
- Adopt a decision to introduce, as a first step, a visa-free regime for Russian and European students.
All this can and should be done before the next Russia-EU summit scheduled for November 2003!
Russian citizens should go to Europe without visas!
Sign here: http://www.bezviz.yabloko.ru/
See also:
Russia-EU Relations
YABLOKO starts collecting signatures to eliminate the visa regime between Russia and EU member states. Press Release. June 5, 2003
Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Lukin proposes the introduction of a visa-free regime for Russian and European students
Press release, May 20, 2003.
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