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Head of pro-government trade union federation calls on EU to cut visa fees for Belarusians

Leanid Kozik, head of the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB), called on the European Union to cut Schengen visa fees for Belarusian citizens when he was speaking at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum that began in Brussels on Monday.

Mr. Kozik said that Brussels should consider reducing the fees for Belarusians and nationals of other countries that participate in the Eastern Partnership and later scrap them entirely.

“The proposal was eagerly supported by representatives of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova,” the FTUB press office said.

The discussion about the matter lasted “several hours,” resulting into a decision to document the proposal and submit it for consideration to “an appropriate commission.”

Mr. Kozik also called on the EU to give back Belarus trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences, which Brussels suspended in 2006 over alleged violations of trade union rights in the country.

The press office said that the “idea was eagerly backed as well.” “Given the interest in the matter, one should assume that further discussions will follow,” the press office quoted Mr. Kozik as saying.

About 240 NGOs in the six post-Soviet countries involved in the European Union’s Eastern Partnership program, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, are represented at the two-day Civil Society Forum, which was organized by Sweden, the current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency.

The Belarusian delegation reportedly consists of representatives of a total of 27 NGOs, including the Movement for Freedom, the Khartyya-97 (Charter ’97) group, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, and the Belarusian Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations. //BelaPAN