Head of EU Delegation to Belarus: Political prisoners release is no condition for relaxing visa regime

Belarus and the European Union will hold the next round of talks on visa facilitation and readmission agreements in February at the earliest, Maira Mora, head of the EU Delegation to Belarus, told news agency BelaPAN in Minsk on Wednesday. 

Commenting on recent remarks by Latvian officials about the possibility of a visa-free regime between Belarus and the EU, Maira Mora denied that the EU made changes in the European Commission`s mandate for the talks conditional on the release of Belarus` political prisoners.

According to her, the matters are not connected because visa facilitation is a measure intended for the entire Belarusian people. 

Ms Mora said that it would be early to speculate on the matter until the visa facilitation agreement was signed. 

As Belgian e-media EUobserver reported with a reference to Latvian diplomats, Belarus may get the first step towards a visa-free regime with the EU if it releases political prisoners in time for an Eastern Partnership summit in May.

www.belsat.eu/en, following BelaPAN