Belarus Headlines 21

Schengen Zone Expansion: Consequences for Belarus By Dzyanis Melyantsou for the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies Europe's Schengen arrangement, which allows people to cross borders without having their passports checked, expanded on December 21, 2007 to nine new members of the European Union – the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Three of these countries share borders with Belarus. What are the consequences of the move for the Belarusian citizens and the country's relations with the EU neighbours? Unfortunately, things do not look so bright. Belarusians must pay higher visa fees to travel to EU countries, including the neighbouring countries with which Belarus maintains close economic ties. Before December 25, a single-entry visa to Lithuania cost €5 (a multiple- entry visa €25). Latvia did not collect a visa fee.

• Месца выхаду: Brussels
• Дата выхаду: 2007-12-17
• Выдавец: Office for a Democratic Belarus
• Copyright: © 2007 by Office for a Democratic Belarus
• Кнігазбор: Kamunikat.org
• Дадатковая даведка: http://www.democraticbelarus.eu Выданьне публікуецца тут за ласкавай згодай Office for a Democratic Belarus