The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament has backed today, April 24, two agreements with Belarus on the readmission of Belarussians without the right to stay in the EU, and the facilitation of procedures for a Schengen Visa.

The first agreement was approved with 54 votes to 13, while the second with 61 votes pro, and six against.

Upon the voting, the EU rapporteur for the readmission agreement Petar Vitanov said that the EU Parliament should have a more active role in the opening and negotiations of future readmission agreements.

“The EU should engage more with all Eastern partners, despite the challenges or perhaps, even more so, because of them, as deeper relations should extend the frontiers of the area of freedom, security and justice,” Vitanov said.

Whereas Ondřej Kovařík, the EU rapporteur for the visa facilitation agreement with Belarus asserted that the approval of the deals is an important step on the path for deeper cooperation and understanding between the EU and Belarus

“Simplification of travel to and from the EU for both Belarusian as well as EU citizens is an important step on the path for deeper cooperation and understanding between the EU and Belarus and also to intensify the dialogue on democratic values. I would also encourage the European Commission to come back to us one year after the agreement is in place so that we can evaluate to what extent the agreement meets its intentions,” Rapporteur Kovařík said.

Whereas the other MEPs present in the meeting pointed out that the Belarusian government has engaged ha recently engaged in the improving of the respect of universal freedoms, the rule of law, and human rights, including the freedoms of speech, expression and media, as well as labour rights.

Under the readmission agreement, Belarus should readmit its citizens who are illegally in the territory of the EU member states, including passport holders, and holders of a valid visa and residence permit issued by Belarus.

Whereas the visa facilitation agreement will enable Belarusians applying for a Schengen visa to pay a reduced fee of €35 instead of €80, as the citizens of most other countries do. Visa applications will be processed within ten days, while some travellers, such as journalists, students and members of official delegations, may benefit of multiple-entry visas that will be valid for longer.

Currently, EU citizens can travel to Belarus without a visa for periods of up to 30 days, given that they enter the country through the Minsk International Airport. For longer periods, of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, the new agreement will apply reciprocally.

None of the two agreements will apply either to Denmark or Ireland.

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