{"id":40984,"date":"2017-06-12T07:11:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T07:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=40984"},"modified":"2017-06-12T07:11:58","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T07:11:58","slug":"ukrainians-cheer-first-day-visa-free-eu-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=40984","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainians cheer on first day of visa-free EU travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kiev (AFP) – Ukrainians were on Sunday celebrating the first day of visa-free access to the European Union, with thousands crossing the border as President Petro Poroshenko proclaimed a dramatic “exit” from Moscow’s grip.<\/p>\n

The move is symbolic for Kiev, where a pro-EU revolt in 2014 toppled the previous Russia-backed government and was followed by Moscow’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula sparking a protracted ongoing conflict with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n

“The visa-free regime for Ukraine has started! Glory to Europe! Glory to Ukraine!” Poroshenko tweeted early Sunday as many travellers started crossing the border and posting selfies.<\/p>\n

Only those with biometric passports — containing a microchip with personal data, including fingerprints — can take advantage of the visa-free travel for the time being, for stays of up to 90 days every six months that don’t include work.<\/p>\n

The exemption does not apply to Ireland or Britain, nor to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which are part of the EU’s Schengen passport-free area despite not being members of the bloc.<\/p>\n

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Later Sunday, Poroshenko met with Slovak counterpart Andrej Kiska on the Slovak-Ukrainian border, unlocking a mock “door to the EU” painted like a Ukrainian passport.<\/p>\n

“We have waited so long for this,” he said. “I am sure that this day, June 11, will go down in the history of Ukraine as a final exit of our country from the Russian empire and its return to the family of European nations.”<\/p>\n

“Welcome to Europe,” Kiska told the crowd. “I want to call on you to continue carrying out reforms.”<\/p>\n

“Today we bring down the barrier between the people of Ukraine and the people of the European Union,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a video address.<\/p>\n

“Ukraine has delivered reforms its citizens were asking for and we of the EU have kept our promise. This is what we call a win-win solution.”<\/p>\n

– ‘It feels so good’ –<\/p>\n

The EU approved the visa-free travel last month after long delays and Kiev’s embattled reforms, fulfilling a key promise to cement ties with Kiev following the broad trade and political association agreement sealed in 2014.<\/p>\n

Kiev is now seeking to boost European integration with cheaper rail links and more low-cost air connections with EU cities, Poroshenko said Saturday.<\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin cheered on Twitter after passengers on flights from Ukraine were able to enter Warsaw, Budapest, Frankfurt and other airports.<\/p>\n

“#Bezviz (no visa) is just the beginning!” he wrote, himself crossing the border to Hungary and posting photos from the passport control area.<\/p>\n

By midday, thousands had crossed the border into EU countries, the foreign ministry’s consular department wrote on Twitter. Only four people were denied entry.<\/p>\n

Adv<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n