Ukraine may get a visa-free regime with the European Union at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga in May 2015, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal has said.
“Now, in terms of all our plans, only the launch of the procedure for issuing biometric passports is set for Jan. 1. But the visa regime cannot be cancelled until the EU assesses how the production occurs, how the system works, and how passports of serial production are protected. This assessment takes time,” she said in an interview with the Yevropeiska Pravda online newspaper published on Friday, Sept. 19.
The diplomat said: “Therefore, in my opinion, a realistic forecast is getting a visa-free regime at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga in May 2015.”
At the same time, she noted that it would be possible if Ukraine fulfills all points of the plan, passports are issued with no problems, and there is a sufficient level of protection of personal data, and if Ukraine guarantees the high-level protection of the border and police work without any problems.
“I think that there is political will for this – both in Ukraine and in the EU. But, of course, there is the question of funds and the question of the war,” Zerkal said.
