Opinions & Interviews
Lithuanian ambassador: The European Union will ease up visa rules for Belarus
MINSK, 5 February (BelTA) – The European Union will liberalize visa regulations for Belarus. The statement was made by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lithuania to Belarus Evaldas Ignatavicius at the ceremony held on 5 February to inaugurate visa service centers of Lithuania in Belarus, BelTA has learned.
“We see visas as opportunities for new contacts and contracts for business and culture, for members of the general public of the country,” said the head of the Lithuanian diplomatic mission. In his opinion, the four visa service centers that have been opened in Minsk, Brest, Grodno and Gomel will expand business ties between countries, will bolster cultural cooperation, and will contribute a lot to stronger regional contacts. “I think it is necessary to encourage this movement. In my opinion, we make the right steps,” stressed Evaldas Ignatavicius.
He remarked that in 2014 the number of issued visas rose by 5% while the number of times Belarusian tourists went to Lithuania rose by 20%. “Belarusians are the champions in terms of the number of trips in the Schengen zone,” said the diplomat. In his words, it is necessary to get ready for new opportunities. He specified he referred to more liberal visa regulations as well as the forthcoming introduction of biometric visas by the Lithuanian embassy in Belarus.
The Ambassador also said that since the visa service centers are now available, Belarusians no longer have to stand in queues to get visas from the Embassy of Lithuania and the problem of hackers has been dealt with. “I think the new system will be transparent and effective,” he added. The diplomat told mass media that in many cases the Lithuanian embassy gradually increases the number of one-year and two-year visas they issue.
A representative of the Consular Affairs Department of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry also made a speech during the opening ceremony. The Lithuanian official said that at present there are 40 visa service centers like that in nine countries across the globe. Since visa service centers make visa issuance easier, Lithuania is expanding the practice.
The Lithuanian visa service centers in Belarus are open at 9:00-17:00 from Monday to Friday. All the centers use the same procedures. Yet it is the consular service of the Embassy of Lithuania in Belarus that has the authority to grant visas or not. Personnel of the visa centers do not have the authority.
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