Foreign Minister: Armenia can always count on Luxembourg`s support  for the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU

ArmInfo.The European Union is implementing a step-by-step policy on liberalization of the visa regime. This was stated on March 27 at the press conference in Yerevan by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn.  As an example, the minister cited the Baltic countries and Ukraine. He noted that Armenia is carrying out serious reforms aimed at respecting human rights, ensuring the rule  of law, justice, but much remains to be done. 

Nevertheless, according to the minister, it is moving in the right  direction. "I believe that in the end, the efforts of Armenia will be  crowned with success in the form of full liberalization of the visa  regime," Asselborn said.

At the same time, the diplomat stressed that Luxembourg always had a  positive position on this issue, and he spoke in favor of free  movement on the territory of the EU. However, according to the  Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, Europe has a fair fear in this  regard, since there have already been examples of abuse of  opportunities provided in the framework of simplifying the visa  regime. "But I want to say that Armenia is on the right track, and we  will come to it." It is too early to talk about specific deadlines,  but ultimately the European Commission must find the right solutions  for each state, but Armenia can always count on Luxembourg's support  on this issue ", concluded the Luxembourg minister.

It should be noted that on December 17, 2012 an agreement was signed  on simplifying the visa regime between Armenia and the EU, which came  into force on January 1, 2014. The agreement accelerated the  procedure for issuing visas to consulates of the European Union  countries based in Yerevan. Now the decision to grant a visa is taken  within ten days, and in emergency cases - within two or less days. In  addition, the agreement provides for a reduction in the list of  documents necessary for obtaining a visa. The price of the visa after  the signing of the agreement was reduced to thirty-five euros against  the sixty euros that tourists gave before the ratification of the  agreement. Another important plus of the simplified visa regime is a  free visa, which is provided to children under the age of twelve, as  well as to the disabled and their accompanying persons. This document  assumes the introduction of a simplified procedure for obtaining  visas for entry into the Schengen area for members of official  delegations, journalists, businessmen, scientists, athletes,  schoolchildren and students, close relatives of EU citizens, and  people who are sent to the European Union for treatment. 

Participants in various international conferences, exchange programs  and other public events of international character will also be able  to obtain visas under a simplified regime. In general, the list of  various categories of the population who will have the opportunity to  visit the EU under a simplified scheme is quite extensive.  Facilitated and the process of providing multivies, which was  previously unnecessarily complex and lengthy. 

And citizens of Armenia with diplomatic passports are completely  exempted from the need to obtain a visa.  The simplification of the  visa issuance scheme also affected the terms of stay of Armenian  citizens in the territory of the EU countries. Now this period is  ninety days in each period of one hundred and eighty days.  At the  same time, an agreement on readmission was also signed. The Armenian  side has repeatedly stressed the need for the start of the second  stage of negotiations on the liberalization of the visa regime, but  the EU has not yet given a "green light" to the process.