Moldovan citizens to further benefit from visa-free regime with Schengen countries

Chisinau, Dec. 10 /MOLDPRES/- Moldovan citizens will further benefit from visa-free regime with Schengen countries. On December 6, the European Commission adopted the seventh report under visa suspension mechanism.

The report says that Moldova has taken action to address the Commission’s previous recommendations.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the report contains a detailed assessment of developments with regard to the alignment of visa policy with EU policies; trends in illegal migration, applications for international protection, return and readmission; cooperation in the migration sector, border management and readmission; security cooperation.

The document covers the EU neighborhood, the Eastern Caribbean and Latin America. The report also makes a number of specific recommendations for each beneficiary of the visa-free regime.

In the case of the Republic of Moldova, the recommendations concern the alignment of visa policies with the respective policies of the European Union, in particular with regard to third countries, which pose a risk of illegal migration or a security risk for the European Union.

It is also recommended to continue efforts to fight organized crime, with special attention to illicit trafficking in firearms and drugs, trafficking in human beings and financial aspects of organized crime.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken note of the report's findings and recommendations and expresses its readiness to continue, together with other competent national authorities, to cooperate with the European Union in order to implement them," the institution said.

Thus, the European Commission's recommendations are in line with our country's status as a candidate for accession to the European Union.

During the 10 years of operation of the visa-free regime for short-stay travel of citizens of the Republic of Moldova to the Schengen area, more than 2.5 million Moldovans have benefited from the visa-free regime, traveling to the European Union approximately 15.8 million times.