EU will not accept Russian documents issued in occupied regions of Ukraine, Georgia
Russian travel documents issued in, or to persons resident in, the occupied regions of the two countries will not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen Area. Photo: Reuters
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The Council of the European Union on Thursday adopted a decision on non-acceptance of Russian travel documents issued in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine and Georgia.
The decision is a response to Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” military aggression against Ukraine and practice of issuing Russian international passports to residents of the occupied regions, the Council said.
It also follows Russia’s unilateral decision to recognise the independence of the occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) in 2008.
Russian travel documents issued in, or to persons resident in, the occupied regions of the two countries will not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen Area.
The Council of the European Union on Friday approved a €20 million assistance package for strengthening Georgia's defence capabilities, the Georgian Defence Ministry said.
The European Council and European Parliament on Thursday reached a provisional agreement on non-acceptance of Russian travel documents issued in the occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia.
The European Parliament on Thursday agreed not to accept travel documents that Russia has issued in the areas it illegally occupies in Ukraine and Georgia, the press office of the EU legislative body said.
European Union ambassadors on Wednesday agreed a mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament on a decision on non-acceptance of Russian travel documents issued in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine and Georgia.
The European Parliament has reaffirmed its support for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations in resolutions on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Friday extended his gratitude to the European Union for approving a €20 million assistance package for strengthening Georgia's defence capabilities.
The Public Service Development Agency of Georgia on Tuesday said it had handed over the basic domestic signatory certificates to the International Civil Aviation Organisation to guarantee the validity of national biometric passports and electronic identity cards and simplifying border crossing procedures.