Almost Free Travel

From the DW:

"Ukrainians move closer to visa-free EU travel"

 

Visa-free travel in Europe for Ukrainians with biometric passports has been proposed by the EU migration commissioner. Dimitris Avramopoulos said Kiev had met all EU benchmarks. Turkey had only 10 days to do so.  Ukrainians are to be allowed short stays of up to 90 days within Europe's Schengen zone under the proposal to be submitted EU interior ministers Luxembourg on Thursday and later to the European Parliament. Excluded would be travel to Ireland and Britain. Ukrainians would, however, also have visa-free access to four Schengen associated countries - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Ukrainians visa-free short-stays would be allowed within any 180-day period for business, tourist or family purposes, assuming they had sufficient funds. The recommendation on Ukraine came from Avrapoulos at the close of a Brussels' press conference at which he said Europe should work towards a "security union" to better coordinate anti-terrorism practices and refugee arrivals. Avramopoulos praised Kiev, saying it had met "all the benchmarks" set out in a Visa Liberalization Action Plan (VLAP) worked through by Ukraine and the EU since 2008 - as part of the EU's Eastern Partnership that has riled Russia. The VLAP's four key tests include document security, integrated border management, migration management and upholding public order and fundamental rights. The commission had scrutinized five progress reports culminating in finalization of the plan last December.

 

 

^ The Ukrainians continue to impress me and the rest of the world. They have been struggling to over-come their Soviet past, am overthrown dictator, the annexation of part of their country as well as fighting a war in the eastern half of their country with Russian-supported fighters. Into all that mix  - which most countries could never overcome - they have come to the last step of visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. I hope the EU's Schengen members quickly pass the law to let the Ukrainians travel there without visas soon. It not only shows the support of the EU to the Ukraine, but also that the sacrifices the Ukrainian people are currently making in their own country are not in vain. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/ukrainians-move-closer-to-visa-free-eu-travel/a-19202337