It’s better to score twice before you cut once, - Prime-Minister says

It is better not to accelerate the introduction of a new visa regime with Russia that will entail some new rules, namely using travel passports to make journeys to the Russian Federation, said Prime-Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk overnight  to Thursday on his arrival to Brussels, where he will participate in the summit of the European People’s Party and the EC meeting at which  the political provisions of the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU should be signed, the press-office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reports.

«It is better to score twice before you cut once », - he accentuated.

Arseny Yatsenyuk recalled that Russia, on repeated occasions, raised a question about a new CIS’ visa regime that will oblige the citizens residing in the member-states have travel passports with them when crossing the borders: «So, this initiative of Ukraine will be hardly efficient as far as influence on the Russian Federation is concerned. On the other hand, this problem has another aspect for Ukraine itself, given that majority of Ukrainians support the visa-free regime with CIS countries, especially those in the eastern and southern regions, who go off in search of a job or have relatives across the border».

The government, according to Prime-Minister, adheres to the policy ensuring the interests of people dwelling in the southeastern regions will be taken into account, too; therefore, no wonder that his approach to tackling this problem is cautious.

Arseny Yatsenyuk said that he was to leave the meeting of the National Security and Defense Committee of Ukraine and couldn’t fully elucidate the reasons for this decision. Immediately after his return to Kyiv, Prime-Minister will discuss these issues with Acting President Alexander Turchinov.