The head of the Federal Migration Services, Konstantin Romodanovskiy, said today that Russia cannot introduce visas for the CIS countries, since it would contradict its integration efforts in post-Soviet space. Among such "efforts" he mentioned the EurAsEC and the Customs Union.Vice President of the Development Fund for Eurasian Cooperation, Andrei Smirnov, told Vestnik Kavkaza in an interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin had already stated that the introduction of visas is not planned in the near future.Director general of the Institute EurAsEC, Vladimir Lepekhin, in turn, noted that in some cases a visa regime could serve Russia's national interests. "Migration policy, in fact, must take into account the peculiarities of integration." The expert said that a visa-free regime should be maintained with all the Customs Union members."For example, Ukraine is most closely linked economically with Russia; of course, the visa-free regime with it should be maintained. But, for example, regarding Uzbekistan, which has long been out of the CSTO and is not involved in the Customs Union... the situation is different," the expert said. He also said that since 600,000 migrants come from Uzbekistan to Russia every year, the government should think about reconsidering the visa-free regime with this country.
The head of the Federal Migration Services, Konstantin Romodanovskiy, said today that Russia cannot introduce visas for the CIS countries, since it would contradict its integration efforts in post-Soviet space. Among such "efforts" he mentioned the EurAsEC and the Customs Union.
Vice President of the Development Fund for Eurasian Cooperation, Andrei Smirnov, told Vestnik Kavkaza in an interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin had already stated that the introduction of visas is not planned in the near future.
Director general of the Institute EurAsEC, Vladimir Lepekhin, in turn, noted that in some cases a visa regime could serve Russia's national interests. "Migration policy, in fact, must take into account the peculiarities of integration." The expert said that a visa-free regime should be maintained with all the Customs Union members.
"For example, Ukraine is most closely linked economically with Russia; of course, the visa-free regime with it should be maintained. But, for example, regarding Uzbekistan, which has long been out of the CSTO and is not involved in the Customs Union... the situation is different," the expert said. He also said that since 600,000 migrants come from Uzbekistan to Russia every year, the government should think about reconsidering the visa-free regime with this country.
