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Ukraine expects travel boom to EU after visa-free regime

Xinhua, April 7, 2017 Adjust font size:

The number of Ukrainians travelling to the European Union (EU) countries will see a multifold increase after a visa-free regime comes into force, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Friday.

"Last year, we have witnessed about 15 million trips to the EU. My ambition -- this number could reach between 100 million and 150 million of trips," Klimkin told local media.

On Thursday, the European Parliament approved by overwhelming majority a deal that will allow Ukrainian citizens to enter the EU without visas for short stays.

Under the new law, Ukrainians who hold a biometric passport will be able to enter the EU without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period.

The deal applies to all EU countries, except Ireland and the UK. Ukrainians will also be able to access non-EU countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland without a visa.

The agreement still needs to be formally adopted by individual EU member states.

The Ukrainian foreign minister voiced hope that the legal procedures to grant Ukraine the visa-free travel would be completed within two months. Endit