Kaliningrad visa facilitation discussed

Jun 22, 2009
TBT Staff in cooperation with the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

VILNIUS- On June 18, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Usackas, who is taking part in the European Council in Brussels with the delegation headed by President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus, met with Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot to discuss the EU visa policy with regard to Belarus and the Kaliningrad region in Russia.

According to a press release from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Usackas emphasized that proper EU visa policy in the region of East-Central Europe could play a special role in promoting regional economic, cultural and political cooperation.

Usackas said that Lithuania spoke up for a visa-free or simpler Schengen visa regime with all the countries in the Baltic Sea region. 

Usackas also said that it was necessary to find flexible solutions, which would provide an opportunity for as much of free movement for residents of Russia's Kaliningrad region and, respectively, the citizens of Lithuania as possible, and to cut visa cost for the citizens of Belarus.

Barrot and Usackas discussed the agreements that were being concluded regarding the travelling of border residents of Lithuania, Belarus and Russia, and said that they would provide a possibility for border residents to cross the border and enter the border territory of another country without visas, but with special permits.

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