There will be no problems with Hungarian visas
Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine András Barshony believes that there will be no problems for Ukrainian citizens in obtaining Hungarian visas after his country joins the Schengen Agreement at the end of 2007.
András Barshony noted that the bilateral agreement between the countries on the visa issuance procedure will remain in effect even after Hungary joins Schengen. The diplomat also stated that Schengen visas for Ukrainians at the Hungarian embassy will be issued under the same conditions as at embassies of other Schengen zone countries.
The ambassador emphasized that Ukrainians wishing to visit Hungary without leaving its borders will still be able to obtain Hungarian national visas. “It can be issued for 5 years with the right of multiple entry, and it is free of charge,” he stressed. According to him, Ukrainian citizens who violate the rules for using national Hungarian visas will be detained by law enforcement and may even be deported from Hungary. “Such citizens will have their Hungarian visas canceled, and Schengen visas will not be issued to them for a long time,” Barshony added.
The ambassador reported that over the past two years, about 300,000 Ukrainians have received visas at the Hungarian embassy in Kyiv. “We refused only 1.5% of all applications. This is a very low rate,” the ambassador noted.
Ukraine counts victims of human trafficking
In Ukraine, since 1991, 100,000 people have become victims of human trafficking. According to the IOM office in Ukraine, according to a study conducted by the organization in 2006, 85% of victims were abducted for labor exploitation.
The study was conducted through individual interviews. The sample consisted of 1,345 people across the country. Based on the collected data, two independent research groups estimate the total number of victims of human trafficking as 117,000 and 97,000 people, respectively.
To ensure the rights of Ukrainian citizens abroad, the IOM coordinates its efforts with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. “In recent years, Ukraine has taken significant steps to combat human trafficking, but the nature of this crime requires decisive and comprehensive measures also in destination countries where the exploitation actually takes place,” notes Frederick Larsson, Coordinator of the Counter-Trafficking Programs at the IOM office in Ukraine.
Foreigners seek refugee status in Ukraine
In 2006, about 2,000 foreigners applied for refugee status in Ukraine, of which only 55 received such status. According to the State Committee for Nationalities and Migration of the country, compared to 2001, the number of those wishing to obtain refugee status has more than doubled.
Over the past 10 years, 2,275 people have received refugee status in Ukraine. Among them are 1,189 refugees from Afghanistan, 208 from Armenia, 180 from Azerbaijan, 128 from Russia (mainly from Chechnya). Ukraine also provided asylum to people from Georgia, Congo, Sudan, and other countries.
According to the State Committee for Nationalities and Migration, in those years, the most applicants for refugee status were people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, residents of Chechnya (Russian Federation), the Palestinian Authority (Israel), and citizens of Iran, Iraq, and Somalia.
Estonia tightens requirements for knowledge of the state language
In Estonia, on March 1, amendments to the Language Act came into force, which expand the powers of the Language Inspectorate, tighten the requirements for state language proficiency for civil servants and employees of private enterprises.
In early February of this year, the Estonian parliament adopted amendments to the Language Act, significantly expanding the powers of the Language Inspectorate. The bill was initiated by the country's government and the opposition parties Pro Patria and Res Publica. According to these amendments, a Language Inspectorate official has the right to check employees, workers, and entrepreneurs for knowledge of the state language. He can also require an employee to retake the exam if he deems that the employee does not have sufficient command of Estonian. If the employee does not pass the exam by the specified deadline, the validity of a previously issued certificate of state language proficiency may be suspended for up to six months.
Until now, the powers of the Language Inspectorate were not regulated at the legislative level. The body operated on the basis of a government decree from 1996. The Language Inspectorate is a government agency operating under the Ministry of Education of Estonia, whose main tasks are to carry out state supervision and apply state enforcement measures on the grounds and to the extent provided by law.
The day before, the influential international human rights organization Amnesty International criticized the adopted amendments to the Language Act and called the Language Inspectorate a punitive body. The human rights organization suggested that the Estonian government review the amendments to the Language Act and take a more constructive approach to language integration issues.
New safety requirements at Hong Kong airport
Hong Kong International Airport is tightening security requirements in accordance with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), according to a statement released by the airport's press service.
According to the new regulations, all liquids in carry-on luggage must be in containers not exceeding 100 ml and packed in transparent bags, which will be screened separately from the rest of the baggage. Exceptions are made only for medications upon presentation of a prescription and for baby food.
Drinks purchased at duty-free shops inside the airport can now be carried on board without restrictions, as they have already passed security screening. The new rules take effect on March 21 of this year.
China Reforms Labor Camps
Chinese authorities are planning to reform the system of "re-education through labor camps." Parliament will consider a more lenient bill regulating this punishment measure, reports China Daily.
Deprivation of liberty in labor camps is an administrative punishment measure legalized in China in 1957. Police could, without a court decision, send people to "re-education centers" for up to four years for minor offenses such as petty theft or prostitution.
Under the new law, "re-education centers" will be renamed "correctional centers," and by removing bars and gates, they will be made to resemble schools. The maximum sentence will be reduced from four years to 18 months. A draft of the bill was presented to parliament back in 2005, but its consideration was postponed for two years due to a large number of contentious issues. Currently, the most heated discussions revolve around whether to make this punishment measure a judicial one.
New York Promises to Be Friendly to Tourists
New York is launching a campaign to attract tourists. The city government plans to ensure that by 2015, at least 50 million guests visit annually. However, this can only be achieved after three stereotypes about the city are dispelled among residents of other countries and cities.
The first is that New York is an incredibly expensive city, the second is that it is very dangerous in terms of crime, and the third is that its residents are remarkably rude and unfriendly. The authorities, led by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and representatives of the tourism industry are ready to prove that all these are myths with no basis.
For instance, advertisements have already been placed in several European cities showing that, with the current dollar exchange rate favorable to Europeans, New York is not at all too expensive for them. A marketing campaign has been developed to systematically dispel other myths and attract as many guests as possible to New York, with $45 million allocated for its implementation.
Italy Needs New Immigrant Workers
Italy requires an annual influx of 250-300 thousand immigrants to maintain the necessary level of productivity and quality of service, said Italian Minister for Social Solidarity Paolo Ferrero.
According to him, this need for foreign labor is driven by the country's declining birth rate. Ferraro announced that changes to the immigration law are being developed in Italy, including extending the period of legal stay in the country. The minister also emphasized that immigrant workers should be granted the same rights as Italians.
Britons and Germans Changed Attitude Toward Immigrants
According to a survey conducted by the Financial Times, native populations in the UK and Germany have developed a worse attitude toward immigrants from neighboring countries. The survey data shows that today 45% of Germany's population has a negative view of immigrants from other EU countries, as this immigration supposedly negatively affects the economy. However, in the UK, the analogous rejection rate is even higher at 47%.
The survey involved 6,561 people, all of whom are native residents of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States. The Financial Times considers the results from the UK particularly surprising, given its image as one of the most "open" European countries.
The UK is one of three countries belonging to the category of "old" EU members that opened their labor markets in 2004 to nationals from nine "new" EU states. This decision was largely driven by economic needs. It was believed that European immigrants would help fill "gaps" in the labor market that exist alongside high unemployment.
The population, however, has remained skeptical. 66% of Britons now believe there are "too many" foreigners in their country. This is the highest level of such sentiment among all surveyed countries. For example, in Germany, the analogous figure is 29%.
Conservative politicians and media in immigrant-receiving countries have long called for tighter immigration policies. Critics urge governments to soberly assess the situation and respond accordingly. Instead of the expected 15,000 immigrants from Eastern Europe, Britain received over 400,000 arrivals. Without special restrictions, this dynamic is unlikely to change. In the eyes of job seekers from Eastern European countries, the UK is second only to Spain in attractiveness.