MINSK, 8 January (BelTA) – Belarus has developed biometric passports for diplomats and the European Union is studying how secure they are. Croatian Internal Affairs Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Davor Bozinovic made the relevant statement during the ceremony held in Brussels on 8 January to sign the Belarus-EU visa facilitation agreement and readmission agreement, BelTA has learned.
Davor Bozinovic said: “Belarus has shared characteristics of new diplomatic biometric passports with us recently. The ratification of the agreement hinges on a positive conclusion about their security and the degree of protection.”
Davor Bozinovic said he believes that once the agreements come into force, the European Union will become even closer to Belarus and cooperation between them in economic, cultural, and scientific affairs will become even stronger.
BelTA reported earlier that Belarus and the European Union signed agreements on facilitating visa procedures and on readmitting the individuals staying without an authorization in Brussels on 8 January. When the documents come into force, the price for a Schengen zone visa for Belarusians will drop to €35 while holders of diplomatic passports in Belarus and the European Union will be able to enter each other's territory without visas.
Apart from that, Belarus and the European Union will have to readmit (take back) their own citizens, third-country citizens, and stateless persons, who do not meet or no longer meet the requirements to legally stay in each other's territory.
