What will Europe do first: reduce visa costs or cancel travel-ban lists?

Despite the dissatisfaction with the outcome of parliamentary elections in Belarus, the European Parliament on October 9 proposed the member states of the Schengen agreement to reduce visa costs for Belarusians. But what does the united Europe expect from Belarus in return?

In the view of Wojtek Borodicz, an aide to MEP Janusz Onyszkiewicz, Schengen visas could have become cheaper for Belarusians long time ago. The lack of proper democracy in our country is not a hurdle in this issue. The point is that Europe concludes mutually advantageous agreements only.

“It was always known that visas could become cheaper. But there is a problem: the countries of the Schengen zone do not wish to reduce costs unilaterally. The Belarusian side should also promise something about the reduction of (visa) costs…”, Borodicz says.

In the view of Belarusian deputy foreign minister Valer Varanetski, it will take from six months to one year to resolve the “Schengen issue”. Generally, our foreign ministry is inspired by the European Parliament’s resolution and says that it will go as far as Europe in the issue of improving the visa climate.

The press office of the Belarusian foreign ministry declined a comment on the European Parliament’s resolution, stressing the difference between declarations and decisions.

Spokswoman: “It will not be the European Parliament but the European Commission to make a decision. These are just declarations. Nobody knows when they will take this decision indeed…”

Firstly, it is not the European Commission but the EU Council of Foreign Ministers to make a decision. The council will gather for a meeting on October 13 in Luxembourg. Secondly, no radical decisions should be expected from European ministers. Most likely, the meeting will end with declarations to be followed by negotiations. Wojtek Borodicz continues:

“In terms of political and ideological issues, it would be better if the Council of Ministers of the European Union would decide right away that all the countries of the Schengen agreement reduce visa costs. But it seems that a decision will be taken that the European side is prepared to begin talks with Belarusians in order to sign certain special agreements to reduce visa costs.

It will not be bound to various guarantees that could be obtained from Belarus. Europeans realize that… What guarantees can be obtained from Belarus? Will there be no political prisoners? Will there be fair elections? Everyone knows that this should not be expected from Belarus at the moment”.

Political commentator Piotr Martsev disagrees that the European Parliament has put the issue of visa costs from the political into economic context.

“Obviously, both Belarus and the European Union have displayed willingness to move towards each other. There should be something to begin with! Visa issue is a very concrete and very useful step for Belarus.

Naturally, after some time the issue of lifting the travel ban for Belarusian officials will also be raised. If negotiations are to take place, officials should be able to travel”.

Will the “visa thaw” become the beginning of EU’s policy to get closer to Belarus or remain a useful but one-off step? This depends on whether Belarus responds to the proposals of European parliamentarians with a political thaw which the whole world has waited for so long.