Experts see no quick introduction of visa-free travel
Russian experts believe it will be impossible to introduce visa-free travel between Russia and the EU already in 2010, as proposed by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
As BarentsObserver reported, the Italian foreign minister in an interview with news maker Russia Today said his government intends to bring the issue of visa freedom between Russia and the EU up for a vote in the union. That will result in the introduction of visa-free travel already in 2010, the former vice-president of the EU Commission said confidently.
The reason for the changing dynamics in the issue, is the recent adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, which opens up for union decision-making based on qualified majorities.
However, experts doubt it will be possible to introduce the new travelling regime already in 2010. Olga Potomkina from the Europe Institute, a unit under the Russian Academy of Science, says to RIA Novosti that it is far “too early to start cheering”. She maintains that the EU Council, despite the new arrangements in the Lisbon Treaty, will seek full consensus before decisions are made.
Similarly, Dmitry Suslov from Russian Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) maintains that the level of trust between the sides still is too low for the rapid abolishment of the visa regimes.
According to newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a total of 12 countries are likely to oppose the introduction of visa-free travel, while 15 countries are considered positive to the idea. The newspaper believes Sweden would oppose, while Finland would support it. Non-member Norway has expressed support for easier cross-border travel with Russia, but sees visa-freedom as “a long-term objective”.
