Finland is ready to support visa-free travel for Ukrainians and Georgians to the EU
Finland is ready to support visa-free travel for Ukrainian and Georgian citizens to the EU, but is not prepared to do the same for citizens of Turkey and Kosovo, according to the Finnish Secretary of State, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Yle reported.
As stated by Heinonen, Turkey and Kosovo have not fulfilled the conditions necessary to receive a visa-free regime with the EU.
"The issue of visa-free regime for Turkey remains open," the Finnish Secretary of State said following a meeting of EU Ministers of Internal Affairs, which took place on June 10.
However, according to Heinonen, Finland is ready to immediately grant visa-free regimes for Ukraine and Georgia, because these countries have fulfilled all the conditions required.
It was previously reported that the introduction of a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU was postponed until at least the fall, and further delays are possible.
In an interview with Evropeyskaya Pravda, Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU has confirmed that the delay on the decision on visa-free regime for Ukraine is being discussed in Brussels.
Several EU Internal Affairs Ministers have spoken against visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens. The French Minister of Internal Affairs has been most vocal in his opposition to issuing a visa-free regime for Ukraine in the coming months.