Publications in Foreign Media, Speeches

Sir, The enlargement of the Schengen area is a truly magnificent Christmas present for the new Europeans of the 21st century. This historic event lifts up not only the borders but also hearts and minds of Europeans, while bringing down the remaining divisions within Europe. One cannot agree more with Mirek Topolanek, the Czech prime minister, that only today, December 21, will the Berlin Wall finally fall (“Central and Eastern Europe Insight”, Special Report, December 17).

Yet, while for most Europeans it will now be possible to travel freely from Baltic Vilnius to Atlantic Lisbon, a new European curtain is being pulled in front of our neighbours – Ukraine, Russia, Moldova and Belarus. But this time it is a financial and a bureaucratic curtain, in place of the old iron one. Before, our neighbours could obtain a visa free (or with a reduction) to travel to many new Schengen countries, but now they are expected to pay between €35 and €60.

It is a painful sum of money for most of the people in these countries who cannot afford to spend a third or even a half of their monthly wage on a “ticket” to Europe. By raising the visa fee, Brussels has again reclaimed the “Fortress of Europe” title, at a time when an intensified dialogue and co-operation with our neighbours are badly needed; be it in the sphere of improving the state of play in Belarus and Russia, or a simple matter of helping Ukraine (and Poland) to organise the 2012 European Championship successfully.

The financial gain from visa taxes can backfire on the EU itself. For ordinary and modest neighbours, the EU becomes a distant land. After all, the more people visit the EU, the better they can see how we live, at the same time benefiting our tourist industry. Financially, it is worthier to permit than to restrain.

With the new year approaching, the Commission and the Council should ask themselves a question: what presents will they leave for our neighbours under their Christmas trees? But so far, I can only remain hopeful as to the value of future gifts from EU in the years to come.

Justas Paleckis,
Socialist Group in the European Parliament
(Former Ambassador for Lithuania to the UK)

The “Financial Times Limited” December 21 2007