Protesters picketing Krakovets border checkpoint demand urgent session of EU parliament

January15200813:20

Picketing by Yavoriv rayon residents of the Krakovets border checkpoint was resumed at 10.00 on Jan. 15. The protesters demand not only transparent and quick issuance of Schengen visas, but also simplified travel procedures for residents of the 30-km Polish-Ukrainian border area, the ZIK correspondent reports.

Angry Ukrainian protesters are pushing for an urgent session of the Europarliament, decrying, in their appeal to the Europarliament, the present visa-issuance snafu in Ukraine as an infringement on human rights.

Comment by the ZIK information agency

Following their warning pickets of the border checkpoint Jan. 11, 2008, deputies of Yavoriv town council sent an appeal to Pres Yushchenko, Premier Tymoshenko and Speaker Yastseniuk, saying many of rayon residents have relatives in Poland just across the border. The present complicated border crossing procedures which became effective on Jan. 1, 2008 will make it more difficult for them to maintain family relationships.

To visit their relatives across the border, Ukrainians must now apply for Schengen visas or Polish visas and submit numerous documents. As a result, Ukrainians have problems involving the issuance of visas.

On the other hand, the protesters say, Polish subjects can enter Ukraine freely. Such situation is humiliating for Ukrainians, who are treated as second-rate people.

According to the protesters, one of the way-outs can be the signing of an agreement on cross-border travel envisaging simplified visa regime for residents of Ukraine’s border regions, similar to the agreements Ukraine has with Hungary and Slovakia.

Any procrastination with signing such agreement with Poland will provoke social tensions and discontent among local residents, triggering off such acts of public disobedience as blockade of roads and border checkpoints, the protesters warn.