Chizhov: Russia-EU visa talks freeze to harm EU citizens amongst others
BRUSSELS. May 22 (Interfax) - The new Russia-EU visa regime facilitation agreement was just about ready, and its freeze will harm citizens of both sides, Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said in an interview with Interfax.
"It [the agreement] was frozen when it was just one step away from being ready, and Russian citizens, same as citizens of EU member countries, will be affected for some period, as they will be unable to use the benefits the agreement would have offered them," Chizhov said.
"Despite extensive discussion of the applicability of the visa-free travel regime stipulated by this agreement to service passport holders, it went beyond that subject. It embraced, in particular, non-governmental organizations whose rights our colleagues in the European Union are so worried about, partakers in various bilateral programs, scientific, education and others," the senior diplomat said.
In his opinion, even the logic of individual restrictive measures applied by the European Union looks very strange or, one may say, flawed. He noted that the fact was admitted to by a number of commentators in the European Union.
"Whenever they speak about the intention to freeze the foreign accounts of certain federal officials, it becomes clear that the authors of this idea have a poor knowledge of Russian legislation, which prohibits civil servants to open accounts abroad. In this case, such restrictive measures can add strength to this law," the chief of the Russian diplomatic mission to the EU stated.