Former Socialist Countries Put Up European Curtain
// Simplifying EU visa requirements complicated entry for Russians
The agreement on simplifying the visa requirements of the European Union (EU) countries, which came into force on June 1st, 2007, complicated the entry to some popular states of Eastern Europe, such as the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, for Russian citizens. The EU countries of Eastern Europe adjusted the procedure of issuing visas with the pan-European procedure. Consequently, the previously used bilateral agreements, with which it was easier to enter those countries, were annulled. It caught tour operators unawares, because they were not warned about the changes.
Russian tour operators cannot send all those willing to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic since early June, because the EU-Russia agreement on simplifying the visa requirements came into force on June 1st, 2007. The number of delayed tourists is estimated at nearly 25 percent of those who decided to visit these countries in June.
The EU-Russia agreement simplifies obtaining visas for some categories of Russian citizens. Among them are businessmen, journalists, members of official delegations, exchange students. Meanwhile, tourists are not among these special categories. The terms of issuing EU visas for them are general: up to 10 days and €35, or €70 for urgent issuing.
However, the agreement changes the entry procedure for Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, since they have joined the EU. Before June 1st, 2007, Russia had bilateral agreements with these countries, and visa requirements were easier. For instance, a visa to Poland took 2 days to be issued and cost €10, and 5-7 days were necessary for visas to Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of June 16, 2007
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