DON’T LET EU KEEP BELARUSIAN LGBT COMMUNITY IN TOTAL ISOLATION – Vote for reasonable cost for Schengen visas!
Svyatoslav Sementsov
The condition of LGBT activism in Belarus may worsen after the enlargement
of the Schengen area to its EU neighbours (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia) - and
its consequences on access to visas. The price to pay to get a visa to the
Schengen area is, from January 1st, 2008, 60 €. This is about one third of
the average monthly income in Belarus.
On 30 Jauary 2008, "Written declaration on reducing the cost of obtaining a
visa for Belarusian citizens" (0012/2008) has ben introduced by MEPs
Genowefa Grabowska, Justas Vincas Paleckis and Hannes Swoboda (see bellow).
In preess release from GRABOWSKA there is lot of phrases from Viachaslau
Bortnik‘s (Belarusian lgbt activist) report.
Now, to be adopted, such a declaration needs to be signed by half of the
MEPs (currently, it means quite 400), within 3 months, otherwise it will
fall.
We need you support!!! Please use your connections to MEPs to make new
policy work. Ask them to sign the Declaration.
Together we’ll win!
0012/2008
Written declaration on reducing the cost of obtaining a visa for Belarusian
citizens
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. having regard to the enlargement of the Schengen area on 21 December
2007,
B. whereas, since 1 January 2008, Belarus has been the only EU Eastern
neighbour whose citizens have to pay €60 for a single-entry Schengen visa,
which approximates to one third of the average monthly salary in Belarus,
C. having regard to the EU's position on supporting the democratisation
process and facilitating people-to-people contacts between Belarus and its
EU neighbours,
D. having regard to the high intensity of movement between Belarus and its
Western neighbours (Latvia, Lithuania and Poland) and the sharp decrease
which has been noted in the number of Belarusian citizens travelling to the
EU following the increase in Schengen visa charges,
E. whereas Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and the Western Balkans have already
signed Visa Facilitation Agreements, but Belarus is, as yet, uninterested in
such an agreement,
1. Calls on the EU to take further steps towards the facilitation and
liberalisation of visa procedures for Belarusian citizens, as only such
action can help to fulfil the main goal of EU policy towards Belarus, i.e.
to facilitate and intensify people-to-people contacts and to democratise
that country further;
2. Urges the EU to reduce the cost of Schengen visas for Belarusian
citizens, which is the only way to prevent Belarus and its citizens from
becoming increasingly isolated;
3. Calls on the Commission to start negotiations on the Visa Facilitation
Agreement with the Belarusian authorities;
4. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the
names of the signatories, to the Council.
--
Viachaslau I. Bortnik
Coordinator
Amnesty International in Belarus
--
Svyatoslav Sementsov
co-president
TEMA - information center
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