«Ukrinform»
The possibility of visa abolition for Ukrainians in Germany is being discussed for good reason. It is possible that the initiators of the Schengen zone are thus trying to support states that have become bordering the visa-free European space.
After Poland's recent inclusion in the Schengen zone, Ukrainian media concluded that they had lost that very 'not abroad' that the neighboring state had been for them. 'Contrary to the promises of European politicians, Schengen visas have not become more accessible – Euro-officials are putting every obstacle in the way of Ukrainians wishing to enter Europe,' emphasizes one Ukrainian publication.
Against the backdrop of such statements, the deputy chairman of the German Bundestag committee on international affairs, Social Democrat Hans-Ulrich Klose, said that 'Europe has not yet reached its borders.' According to the politician, one should not forget that countries like Ukraine are also European states. 'The abolition of the visa regime will be a logical consequence of the neighborhood policy,' Klose noted in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.
In his speech, the deputy chairman of the Bundestag also mentioned Turkey, which also has every chance to join the Schengen area. Speaking about the timeline, Klose emphasized that 'this is a matter for the future and one will have to wait several decades.'
Arguing for the expansion of the visa-free regime, the German politician recalled that the Schengen Agreement does not abolish borders, but only opens them. According to «Deutsche Welle», Klose expressed the conviction that in the end 'we will have to deal not with a single European state, but with a Europe of many homelands.'
Recall that since December 21, the Schengen Agreement countries have accepted 9 new states into their ranks. Now the embassies of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta issue Schengen visas, which simultaneously apply to all 24 member states of the agreement. Each of the approved candidates has successfully fulfilled the conditions for integration into the Schengen area. In particular, all accepted states have been connected since September 1, 2007 to the Schengen Information System (SIS) of police data, and have also successfully implemented the equipment necessary for entering the central Schengen database containing information for police and border authorities.
In parallel with the expansion of the internal space, the Schengen zone began a process of strengthening 'external borders', in particular the construction of powerful engineering barrier structures on the border with Ukraine and Belarus to combat illegal migration. The actions of the European Union reminded the British newspaper Independent of the times of the Cold War. According to the newspaper, the EU is building a new Berlin Wall.
In the near future, the Schengen Agreement members intend to step up work on creating a new information database of the visa-free area – 'Schengen-2', which should accumulate information from the border, customs and migration services of the member countries. From March 1, Cyprus will join Schengen, and in November 2008, Switzerland may join the agreement. The Swiss Telegraphic Agency (ATS) reported this back in September of this year, citing a statement by the country's Justice Minister Christoph Blocher in Brussels.
Oksana BOYKO.
«Vzglyad»