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Kiev welcomes decision of European Parliament's committee to back visa-free regime with Ukraine

Xinhua, September 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kiev said it welcomes the decision by a European Parliament committee to wave visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens, President Petro Poroshenko said on late Monday.

"This is an important step towards the final decision, which we expect soon," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy voiced his hope that the European Parliament will finally approve the long-delayed visa-free regime with Kiev in early October.

Parubiy said that the positive decision by the parliament's legislative body would mean that Ukraine has made progress on its path to reform.

On Monday, the Civil Liberties Committee approved a resolution with 38 votes in favor, four against and one abstention to grant Ukrainian citizens, who have biometric passports, free entry to the European Union (EU) countries except for Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Under the visa exemption rules, Ukrainians would gain a right to travel to the Schengen area for business, tourism or family purposes, but would not be allowed to work in the EU.

To take effect, the visa-free travel with Ukraine would have to be endorsed by the entire European Parliament and the European Council.

Kiev and Brussels launched negotiations on visa liberalization in 2008. Endit