Azerbaijan and the EU have signed an agreement to simplify the visa regime at the Vilnius summit of the Eastern Partnership. The document will allow Azerbaijani citizens to buy 180-day visas. They will need fewer documents to collect to enter European states. Some categories of people will get free visas.
Rasim Musabekov, a member of the Azerbaijani parliament and a political analyst, emphasized that Azerbaijan was not making hasty declarations. He explained that Azerbaijan was interested in energy cooperation and simplified visa system. About 10,000 Azerbaijani students study in the EU. Azerbaijan has half of its trade turnover accumulated with Europe. The expert believes that Azerbaijan cannot sign a readmission agreement the way Georgia and Armenia did to avoid the flow of Afghanis, Pakistanis and Iranians through its territories.
Rovshan Ibragimov, head of the section for analysis of foreign political affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Center for Strategic Research, said that the practical side of the simplified visa regime was to make visits to Europe easier, the strategic aspect was to confirm the role of national interests in relations with the EU. Azerbaijan demonstrated readiness to continue cooperation, keeping a pragmatic approach and avoiding the situation Armenia and Ukraine were in.
