MEP: EU needs to slowly introduce visa-free regime with Belarus

Currently, there are only several hurdles for EU to become closer to Belarus, visas being the major one. It may seem sometimes that the authorities in Belarus are to blame for being too slow in resolving the 'visa issue.' But Latvian member of European Parliament Andrejs Mamikins is confident after his meetings with officials in Minsk: not only is Belarus ready for the reduction of Schengen visa price down to 35 euros but also for a visa-free regime with the European Union.

"All members of our delegation that visited Belarus on 18-19 July are convinced that a visa-free regime witth your country should be slowly introduced. I am pleased that Belarusian MFA and Foreign Minister Makei expressed the same opinion.

Simplified visa regime first: other countries already pay 35 euros per visa, citizens of Belarus pay 60 euros. It is unfair.

It should be then followed by a prospect of a visa-free regime. Many countries of Eastern Partnership, of which Belarus is also a member, already have or in the process of obtaning a visa-free regime with EU. After all, the visa-free regime is a benefit fot ordinary people - not for the president or the prime minister."

Andrejs Mamikins also calls the non-recognition of Belarusian university diplomas in the EU as yet another obstacle for Belarus to get closer. When asked if he considers human rights and media freedom violations in Belarus also a problem for European Union, the MEP says "it is not my business to lecture another country and its people how they should live."

However, the politician does not agree with accusations that he is a lobbyst of the Belarusian regime. He assures that nobody in Brussels is going to turn a blind eye to the 'Belarus issue':

"European Union has not forgotten its fundamental values: human rights, media freedom. Over the past two days, we have had 17 meetings and we always stressed the importance of those values. Remarkably, the tone of the both sides during our conversations was respectful. At some point, our discussion with the members of your parliament became so heated that we should have started throwing plates or challenging one another to a duel as drama laws require. But having exchanged our views, we parted as old friends."

According to Mamikins, European Union polticians for many years heard only the views of the opposition about the developments in Belarus. But time has come to listen to the other side as well.

Watch a full interview with MEP Andrejs Mamikins here: