Stricter checks at EU borders existing rules enforced more rigorously, Foreign Minister says

Stricter checks applied to citizens of the Republic of Moldova when entering Schengen Area states do not represent a change in the rules, but rather a more rigorous enforcement of them, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi during a TV show.

According to the official, the tightening of controls is driven by the migration context in Europe.

“Some European countries, in the context of migration pressures, are forced to take more rigorous measures,” Popșoi explained.

He underlined that the rules regarding visa-free travel have remained the same since the introduction of the liberalized regime with the European Union.

“There is an obligation to have a return ticket, to prove that you have sufficient financial resources, and to present proof of accommodation. These have been requirements from the very beginning,” the minister said.

He noted that citizens who comply with these requirements should not encounter difficulties.

“Nothing out of the ordinary is happening, as long as we respect the law and the established rules,” Mihai Popșoi stressed.

At the same time, the official announced that the expansion of the visa-free regime remains a priority of his mandate.

“One of my priorities is to increase the number of countries with which we have a liberalized regime,” he declared, adding that the focus is on states in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

The minister did not provide concrete examples of countries but mentioned that the authorities are trying to align these efforts with the European Union’s visa policy in order to facilitate mobility for Moldovan citizens.

The Republic of Moldova is today marking 12 years since the abolition of the visa regime for travel to the European Union and the Schengen Area member states. The measure has been in force since April 28, 2014, for Moldovan citizens holding biometric passports.

More than 2.7 million Moldovans have benefited from this regime. During this period, the country’s citizens have made almost 21 million trips to the Schengen Area.

Citizens of the Republic of Moldova have recently reported some difficulties when entering the territory of EU and Schengen member states, after several people were refused entry to France and Germany.