News

On 25 September the Government of the Republic of Lithuania decided to denounce the provisional agreement between Lithuanian and Russian Governments concerning travel of citizens of both countries signed on 24 February 1995 and the provisional agreement between Lithuanian and Belarussian Governments concerning a facilitated crossing of state borders for residents of contiguous areas. By this measure the Lithuanian Government fulfilled its commitments as agreed during talks with the European Union on 22 April 2002 when closing the chapter “Justice and Home Affairs”. Aiming to reduce to the minimum the effect of visa regime changes on Lithuanian as well as Russian and Belarussian citizens, the Lithuanian MFA submitted proposals of amending the provisional agreement on mutual travelling to its Belarussian counterpart as early as October 2001, and to the Russian MFA in January 2002. The proposals suggested introduction of changes, which on the one hand would comply with the EU Acquis and on the other would lay down facilitated visa issuance procedures. These Lithuanian initiatives had not been upheld by Russian and Belarussian diplomatic authorities. Lithuania is open to a dialogue of negotiations and is ready to seek ways of facilitating the order of visa issuance for Lithuanian citizens and nationals of neighbouring countries.