Tarasiuk Opposes Ukraine's Resuming Visa Regime With EU Member Countries

KIEV, Ukraine -- Borys Tarasiuk, a Verkhovna Rada deputy of the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense Bloc faction, the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee for European Integration, opposes Ukraine's possible resumption of visa regime with EU member countries, the deputy's press service said.
"I do not see any advantages of this move. It is rather populism than a reasonable decision. I hope it will not be made," Tarasiuk said in an interview with Polish reporters.If the visa regime for EU citizens is resumed, this might wrap up the dialogue on a visa-free regime for Ukrainians held since 2008, Tarasiuk said.Ukraine's possible resumption of the visa regime is a negative step towards the European Union, according to Tarasiuk."One wastes time and is naivete expecting any EU concession in response," Tarasiuk said.Moreover, the visa resumption may bring about a revision of the agreement arranged between Ukraine and the European Union on the simplified visa regime, the people's deputy admitted.Tarasiuk said Ukraine had benefited from the visa-free regime for EU citizens because Europeans had increased their tours to Ukraine and thus were replenishing its national budget.As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Germany's Ambassador to Ukraine Hans-Jurgen Heimsoeth considers it unreasonable to resume the visa regime with EU member countries.Ihor Popov, deputy head of the President Viktor Yuschenko's Secretariat, president's representative in Verkhovna Rada, predicts that Ukraine can resume the visa regime for EU member countries before May 7.Ukraine considers possible resumption of the visa regime for EU citizens because it was not actually eased, and the agreement on the simplified visa regime that came into effect more than a year ago is only a formal document.EU citizens have enjoyed the visa-free regime with Ukraine since May 1, 2005 when they are staying here for 90 days or are in transit.