Visa News

EU Newcomers Want Visa-free Travel to US

The EU members are calling on Washington to allow visa-free entry to the US from all EU countries.

While citizens of Western Europe do not need visa to travel to the US, visas are still required from eastern European states.

On a panel in Washington, which included John Bruton, the EU ambassador, and ambassadors from Poland and the Czech Republic, it was stressed that European Union “doesn’t want other people to be picking and choosing between its members”.

“Our countries don’t pose threats to US security,” said Janusz Reiter, Poland’s ambassador to the US. Citizens of these countries are very pro-american, which can’t be said about many western members of EU. The current situation could worsen pro-American public opinion in the east to a great degree.

In addition, the rate of Muslim population here is pretty low in comparison with western Europe where many Islamic extremists have found safe haven.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think-tank, has argued that allowing visa-free travel from the Eastern countries, as well as South Korea and India would facilitate intelligence co-operation against terrorism.

Sources: http://news.monstersandcritics.com/ , http://www.workpermit.com/ , http://www.bangkokpost.com/ , http://www.baltictimes.com/art.php?art_id=14426