to understand how important the implementation of a common visa space, delve into the history of the issue. Remember, in 2014, Minsk hosted the world Cup of hockey? Then Belarus for a few weeks was introduced for official participants and fans visa-free entry into its territory. Guests are only required to present a valid passport and a ticket (including electronic) for any match of the 2014 world Cup. But since the border with Russia, Belarus has no border control, those who have arrived in Minsk by the Russian Federation, also had to have at least a transit visa. Agree, not very convenient.
a More advanced version of interaction between the neighbors showed four years later. Then, we will remind, Russia has taken the football 2018 world Cup. Our countries have reached an agreement on mutual recognition of visas during the world championship and foreign fans drove on the territory of Russia and Belarus through the joint border on the three car and three rail. In addition, it was possible to travel from Belarus to Russia and Vice versa by air.
In turn, a year later, the Russian side has granted the right of visa-free travel and stay in its territory to foreign fans, who were sent to Minsk at the II European games.
meanwhile, the creation of a common visa space is a difficult question, given to differing visa regimes in the relations of Belarus and Russia with third countries. So, for example, after the introduction in 2017 Minsk five-day “bezveze” for the citizens of 80 countries of the Russian Federation for security reasons, refused to accept foreigners entering its territory from Belarus without a Russian visa. And all Belarusian flights at Russian airports were transferred to the international terminal. Subsequently, the Belarusian “bezviz” has expanded, and it became clear: with the adoption of the agreement on mutual recognition of visas is better not to procrastinate.
What happens after the agreement enters into force? Get a kind of “Schengen” in the two countries. Foreigners may enter, leave, stay, transit through the territory of both States on the basis of a visa of one of them and identity documents. They will have the opportunity to follow the air and rail, as well as six roads. Key point – the entrance from the Belarusian side in Russia and Vice versa will be possible not through the checkpoints. In addition, the agreement provides for the establishment of a system of exchange of information on border crossing, on issued, annulled and cancelled the visas and other documents entitling to entry and stay. In other words, those who restricted entry into the territory of one of the countries to get to the second floor notlearning. At the same time we should not forget that Belarus and Russia reserve the right to refuse entry or to reduce the term of stay on its territory of any foreign citizen, if necessary to ensure the defense capability or security of the state or public order or protecting the health of the population.
Future innovations will undoubtedly benefit both Russia and Belarus. Including from the point of view of the tourist attractiveness of the Union state. When work on the agreement was still in full swing, Chairman of the Republican Union of tourist industry Philippe Guly noted that for organized groups, the signing of the document will be a great news:
– Given that in addition to road crossings will be involved rail and air transport, foreign tourists will be able from Minsk to fly to Saint Petersburg, Moscow, return. This means, you can create cross-border tours.
the View of colleagues is shared and Vice-President of the Russian Union of travel industry Yuri Barzykin:
the Agreement provides for the travel industry of Russia and Belarus new opportunities. We have a single economic space, and the addition of capacity for inbound tourist arrivals, we will get a positive effect from both sides.
Signed in June in Minsk the intergovernmental agreement on mutual recognition of visas and other issues related to the entry of foreign citizens on the territory of the Union state, shall be subject to ratification, so the exact date of its entry into force, we learn later.
