Фото: nadbuzanski.strazgraniczna.pl
No changes to the European Union’s visa policy toward Belarusian citizens are planned, the United Transitional Cabinet said.
Deputy head of the OPK Pavel Latushka and speaker of the Coordination Council Artsiom Brukhan discussed the issue at meetings at the Federal Chancellery of Germany, the German Foreign Ministry, as well as with non-governmental organisations in the country.
Representatives of the German side noted that no changes to visa policy for Belarusians are planned. A policy aimed at issuing visas to Belarusian citizens wishing to visit the European Union will be continued. At the same time, Germany is one of the leaders in terms of the number of visas issued.
It was also noted that the German consulate is unfortunately overloaded with a large number of applicants, however Germany will continue its policy of openness.
Latushka and Brukhan conveyed to German partners their position on organising a round table to resolve the domestic political crisis in Belarus. Possible support for this approach by Germany and the European Union as a whole was discussed.
The parties also discussed the continuation of sanctions policy toward the Lukashenka regime, as well as the preservation of mobility for Belarusians to visit the European Union and support for educational and cultural programmes by Germany.
On Tuesday, the European Commission presented a new five-year strategy on migration. In the EU strategy, visa policy is viewed as an instrument of migration diplomacy and security, including mechanisms for suspending or restricting the issuance of visas to citizens of third countries. The document explicitly names Belarus and Russia as states that have generated new forms of hybrid threats to the EU, in which migration is used for political purposes. In this context, the continued issuance of visas, including tourist visas, to citizens of countries viewed as sources of security threats to the EU may be deemed inappropriate.