Shegen is not the russian home port?

While the Russians and Europeans, in everything case, those who have time and wish, watch in free time television serials, grandiose serial is getting in common European space – it is reality show in the same time – named “Abolishing of Schengen visas for Russia”. And words are saying seem to be very right, diplomats are shaking hands each other, but as it is saying things are still where they started. Though we are on right way as it is noted in informed Europe…
It is obvious that many Europeans states wish fastest abolishing of visas for Russians truly. Purposes are quite obvious: states which experienced crisis hardly understand that development of tourism makes currency flow. And it is known how our tourists are needed in the world because they don’t economize and try to see and to taste everything…

This is why there is flow of reports in mass media that it is not bad to go towards Russia… Greece will support abolishing of visas between Russia and European Union deputy of minister of culture and tourism Georgios Nikitiadis announces. There is great wish to enhance tourist flow from Russia, and it is decided to add staff of Greek consulate in Russia and to simplify visa getting for Russians. Spain also supports idea of introduction of visa-free system between Russia and European Union. “We support maximum facilitation of visa system for Russians. We sup¬port even visa-free system”, - ambassador of Spain in Russia Juan Antonio Mark announces.

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, president of Finland Tarja Halonen and Italian Prime-Minister Silvio Berlusconi stand for this idea. Our friend Silvio reports that visa problem “may be solved but unfortunately it demands unanimous decision” of European Union states.

To avoid different illusions and dreams ambassador of Germany in Russia Valter Jьrgen Shmid is discussing in Barnaul that abolishing of Schengen visas for all Russians – is business of future and process is not quick: “negotiations are taking part, but I must say we will not these negotia¬tions tomorrow yet”.
Before the verdict is in Big Europe some states abolished visas for citizens of Russia yet: Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Byelorussia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldavia, Serbia, Ukraine, Croatia, Montenegro… Macedonia elucidates: agreement will apply to those Russian citizens who depart to Macedonia with business purpose, or for sport, education or cultural activity, for medical treatment or studying or simply for private business less than 90 days it is not necessary to obtain visa. Logic and right decision!

Turkey also understands what profit it can get due to widening of contacts with Russia. Russians paid $20 while crossing Turkish border, but since 16 April of this year visa system between Rus¬sia and Turkey is abolished. According to new rules Russians can arrive to territory of Turkey without visa for 30 days.
But not all informed Europeans like this: Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Czech Repub¬lic, Sweden and of course Baltic states oppose to abolishing visas for Russians. They have serious basement: European police service Europol presents report regularly with analysis of threats to European Union states security from organized criminality.
Europol considers that Rumania and Bulgaria accession to Schengen area and also abolishing of visas for citizens of Ukraine and Russia may lead to activization of organized criminal formations from these states on territory of European Union.

Interesting, however, argument – it is very difficult to understand how can visa system influence on activity of organized criminal formations considerably?! Nobody will dispute that leaders of criminal communities have most valid documents not depending on their citizenship. And they have no problem to get visa to any state they want…

But maybe business is in us ourselves. Maybe we attentively view straw in other eye but don’t see tree in our own eye?! No, what we declare then we do. For example, Russia made simply holiday for “Manchester United” and “Chelsea” fans affording an opportunity to arrive to Moscow without visa to final match of Champions League in 2008.
But business is not even in one concrete case. Russia confirms own intensions and by govern-mental decisions.

For example, federal law from 03.12.2008 number 237:
“ABOUT CORRECTION OF CLAUSE 25.11 OF FEDERAL LAW “ABOUT ORDER OF DEPARTURE FROM RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND ARRIVAL TO RUSSIAN FEDERA-TION“? It is enacted by State Duma (Parliament of Russia) on 21 November 2008 and approved by Council of Federation on 26 November and signed by President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on 3 December 2008. This law introduces visa-free system for arrival to Russian Federation of foreign tourists by ferries having permit for passenger carriage.

Government of Russia enacted Resolution on 7 May 2009 №397 “About order of stay on territory of Russian Federation of foreign citizens and persons without citizenship arrived to Russian Federation as tourists by ferries having permits for passenger carriage”. Now foreign tourists arrived to us by ferries have right to stay on territory of Russian Federation during 72 hours without visa! Ferry must arrive to Russian Federation via following marine and river ports according to list approved by government of Russian Federation. This is these ports:
Big port Saint-Petersburg (Saint-Petersburg), Vladivostok (Far East territory), Vyborg (Leningrad region), Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad region), Korsakov (Sakhalin region), Novorossiysk (Krasnodar territory), passenger port Saint-Petersburg (Saint-Petersburg), Sochi (Krasnodar territory). As it is said there are variants…

What can be better – you have opportunity to make impression about state without bureaucratic formalities! This is for problem who looks to new century not by words but in business man-ner…
By the way, about ferries. This is quite perspective direction in tourism business. For example, 14 ferry companies specializing in Baltic routes are conducting serious competition for clients in our northern capital (Saint-Petersburg). Number of clients may be more but in Saint-Petersburg one must get 13 documents to obtain visa to Sweden, to Finland – 9, to Norway – 11. In Moscow one must get 7, 9 and 9 documents correspondently.

“You will find interesting proposals on group and individual tours to Finland, Sweden, Denmark irrespectively whether you travel in group or as camper, ride in car as independent autotourist or rest as merry company of pedestrians. You are waited by unforgettable fiords of Norway, alpine skis of Sweden. You can meet New Year in Finland in native land of Santa Claus with our help. Christmas rest in cottages among branchy and snow-covered firtrees in Lapland or New Year on ferry in merry New Year cruise will make a lot of impressions for you. Ferries “Silja Line” and “Viking Line” are created not for sea but for people. Comfortable staterooms, delicious cooking, exciting shopping, colourful musical show and comfortable bars and coffee bars are waiting for on ferry board”. Wonderful, and no more else! One is ready to travel just after reading booklet. Then remember how many papers you must obtain, think a little and choose all-russia health resort that is Turkey…

And you are not troubled yet after new that cruise ferry “Princess Maria” successfully works since 2010 on line “Saint-Petersburg – Helsinki”, but from April 2011 ferry “Princess Anastasia” will work on new ferry line “Saint-Petersburg – Stockholm”…It is not important that “there are 834 cabins of different class and price categories, automobile deck of ferry is designed for 580 cars”…

Because from city Sochi where, as it is known, nights are dark, “ferry “Olympia-Line” will take you from Sochi to Trabzon or Turkey. Our 14-year experience guarantees quality and reliability of services for our passengers”.

Ship “Hermes” – is marine passenger motor hydrofoil craft – of course, is not “Princess Maria”, and there are only 32 places in business-class and 157 places in economy-class but no visas are needed! It is good for us and pleasure for Turks! Meanwhile Europe moves and moves towards us…

And new series began literally these days. We were informed that European Union agreed to simplify visa system – now our fellow citizens can get schengen visas for term up to five years. But everything is so simple: at first citizens of Russia must prove their dependability during staying on territory of Schengen zone for one year. And if you make no bad actions during year you have right for five year visa further yet.
Concrete steps from foreign states most of all European are necessary such as Russia undertakes today so as to make visa problem become street with two-way traffic. Now there is situation when Russian citizen having relative abroad has no possibility to fly to him urgently in case of relative illness not obtaining visa. But citizen of foreign state has no such problems for 3 days of staying in Russia in analogous case…

Quite demonstrative is position of consulate generals of foreign states refusing to comment altogether perspectives of visa problem solution motivating that problem can be solved at level of parliaments and governments of their states. So following situation exists: asphalt is good and smooth on Russian part of street, but there are not only pits and bumps but antitank hedgehogs also on European part…
Serial is continuing!