ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov met with the Deputy Director General of the European Commission for Migration and Home Affairs, Johannes Luchner, to discuss the harmonization and simplification of visa requirements for citizens of Kazakhstan during his working visit to Brussels on Oct. 4, according to Kazinform.
According to the Kazakh Embassy in Belgium, Sadenov met with the leadership and experts of the European Commission Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, which is responsible for regulating the visa policy of the Schengen countries for the first time.
Minister Sadenov provided detailed information on socio-political reforms that are taking place in Kazakhstan and about the improvement of all aspects of migration policy based on the standards of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
He also reported on the positive migration statistics of Kazakh citizens traveling to European Union (EU) countries, emphasizing the absence of migration risks and the excellent compliance with the laws and regulations of EU countries.
Deputy Director General of the European Commission for Migration and Home Affairs Luchner emphasized that “Kazakhstan is a reliable partner of the EU in the Central Asian region, and our cooperation has significant potential for further constructive development.”
He confirmed the readiness of the EU to begin work on simplifying the process of obtaining Schengen visas for Kazakh citizens. Specific areas were also identified where visa requirements for Kazakh citizens could be relaxed, which could be agreed upon during subsequent consultations. The parties agreed to conduct a joint analysis of the current visa issuance process and identify steps to begin a dialogue in this area.
Special attention was paid to strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in law and order, including the fight against illegal migration, improving border control, and applying the experience of European internal affairs agencies.
During his visit to Brussels, Sadenov held talks with the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, Annelies Verlinden. During the meeting, Verlinden emphasized Belgium’s interest in strengthening the partnership with Kazakhstan and expressed support for simplifying the visa regime for citizens of Kazakhstan.
He praised Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve its border control system and strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries. The parties agreed to continue the dialogue and identify areas for collaboration and exchange of experience in the future.
Source : The Astana Times
