Translated material
Three kinds of people
Small visa benefits for the border areas of the Kaliningrad region promise big problems for the entire region
At his last big press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin told how Russia intends to solve visa problems in the Kaliningrad region . The region was happy about this attention, although the possible solution to the problem itself raises more concern than hope.Let us remind you that the westernmost Russian region does not have land borders with the main territory of the country. But it is directly adjacent to Lithuania and Poland. Until July 2007, visas to visit these countries were issued to Kaliningrad residents in a simplified manner - free, multiple-entry and long-term. However, due to the entry of Lithuania and Poland into the Schengen visa area, the previous preferences ceased to apply, which causes a lot of inconvenience for residents of the westernmost Russian region.
For example, if a Kaliningrader travels to Ukraine, to travel through the territory of Lithuania he needs to purchase a visa for 35 euros. For transit from the region to “big” Russia, a visa is not required; instead, a UPTD-ZhD is issued - a simplified travel document by rail, which is issued free of charge. You can get a FTD (facilitated transit document) for a period of three years for five euros. At the same time, Lithuania has the right to refuse to issue a “simplified” permit to a suspicious Kaliningrad resident. In this case, he will only be able to get from one part of Russia to another by plane or ferry - in the first case, the trip will be significantly more expensive, and in the second much longer.
To resolve the difficult situation, Russia is negotiating with Poland and Lithuania about a special visit to these states by residents of Kaliningrad, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his big press conference. He said that he recently spoke with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk about this very issue. In addition, according to him, the Russian Federation is conducting a dialogue on this issue with its Lithuanian partners and with the European Union as a whole.
“The first step that could be taken in this direction, ensuring the interests of people living in Kaliningrad, was to agree on a special border visit regime. And in fact, the whole of Kaliningrad could be included in such a regime. We are currently negotiating this matter,” Mr. Putin said at a press conference.
The head of state also noted that the Russian authorities must ensure communication between the Kaliningrad region and other parts of the Russian Federation. “We are developing maritime transport and ferry services. As far as I am aware, we have managed to reduce tensions related to air transport tariffs. There are positive changes happening there. In addition, we must ensure transit through the territory of neighboring states,” explained the Russian President.
Such close attention of the head of state to regional problems in the region itself was met with enthusiasm. “As follows from the statement of President Vladimir Putin, Russia understands the severity of the situation with the movement of Kaliningrad residents and the desire to solve this problem. A statement followed from Moscow. Now the word is up to Brussels,” Konstantin Polyakov, first vice-speaker of the regional Duma, told Vremya Novostey. And the governor of the Kaliningrad region, Georgy Boos, emphasized that the president, knowing the pain points of the region, keeps the solution to these problems under control. “The special border visiting regime that Putin mentioned is only the first, but not the last stage towards simplifying the visa regime for residents of the Kaliningrad region,” he noted. Mr. Boos also thanked the country’s leadership and Vladimir Putin personally for such an attentive attitude towards the region. “We constantly feel that we are not an island, but part of a united Russia,” the governor said.
Last year, Lithuania proposed to Russia to replace visas with special passes for residents of border areas. Only those who live no further than 30 km from the border can obtain such a pass. This ersatz visa will allow its holder to travel to the territory of a neighboring country, but only to a “depth” of 30 km. Russian diplomats proposed expanding the preferential zone to 50 km. However, judging by the pace of the negotiations, this was done not in order to achieve real consensus, but rather to maintain dialogue. The domestic Ministry of Foreign Affairs is generally skeptical about the proposal of its Lithuanian colleagues.
The first secretary of the regional representative office of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Boris Sheremetyev, spoke about the reasons for this attitude at a recent meeting with local public organizations. According to his assessment, the effect of replacing visas with special passes for residents of border areas will be negligible. At most 30 thousand Kaliningrad residents will feel it. This will not lead to the establishment of the simplified travel regime that existed before. Considering that in the border areas, the majority of people previously lived (and many still try) in the shuttle trade, the introduction of special passes will spur the revival of just such a “gray” economy, because shuttle traders do not pay taxes.
And the head of the Regional Duma Committee on International Affairs, Boris Batalin, does not exclude that illegal migrant workers will also be added to the shuttles. And he reminds us that illegal labor migration is always accompanied by crime. “In addition, if we take this scheme as a basis and extend it to relations with Poland, the residents of the Kaliningrad region will be divided into three parts. Some will be able to easily travel to the Lithuanian borderland with passes, others will be able to travel to the Polish border, and others will have to go for visas. Moreover, the latter are the overwhelming majority,” added Mr. Batalin.
Mr. Sheremetyev believes that the replacement of visas with special passes brings with it only an apparent liberalization of the travel regime. In reality, things may become more complicated again. “Imagine, a person went with such a pass, but instead of thirty kilometers he “racked up” five extra. And what? Will he be deprived of his pass, and at the same time banned from entering all Schengen countries for several years? Is this correct? - the diplomat voiced one question after another. - In the end, it will turn out that people, of course, will be happy at first. And then, when they understand, they will complain. And they will come to us for help.”
In addition, EU standards require that simplified border exchanges take place at local bilateral rather than international border crossings. In the Kaliningrad region with Lithuania there is only one such checkpoint - the Ramoniskiai-Pogranichny checkpoint. Moreover, it is in a very deplorable state.
According to regional experts, the emphasis in negotiations with Lithuania should not be on the introduction of special passes for “border residents” - it is necessary to achieve multiple-entry national Lithuanian visas. It would be nice to get the same visa regime from Poland.
At the same time, Nikolai Tulaev, a member of the Federation Council from the Kaliningrad Regional Duma, proposes making Schengen visas free for residents of the westernmost Russian region. “The average Russian travels abroad approximately once every ten years. And Kaliningrad residents are forced to do this all the time! - the senator explained to Vremya Novostey. “Paying 35 euros for a visa every time is quite expensive.” In his opinion, the federal budget could well take over the payment of the consular fee of 35 euros. Moreover, there is already a precedent - thanks to the help of the state treasury, the issuance of foreign passports for Kaliningrad residents is free. Or, the senator believes, the conversation about financial support should be held with partners: “After all, the need to acquire visas is not the desire of Kaliningrad residents, such rules are dictated by the European Union.”