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Opinions & Interviews

14 Jul 2017

Makei in an interview with El Pais: Belarus considering extending visa-free stay period

Makei in an interview with El Pais: Belarus considering extending visa-free stay period

MINSK, 14 July (BelTA) – Belarus is considering extending the period of the visa-free stay, Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in an interview with El Pais. The Russian-language translation of the interview is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, BelTA has learned.

“Since spring, EU citizens can travel to Belarus for a period of up to five days without a visa. The minister said the government is considering extending this period,” reads the interview.

As it was reported, a five-day visa-free travel program was launched in Belarus on 12 February 2017 for citizens of 80 countries. Visa-free visitors must arrive in the country via Minsk National Airport.

Belarusian Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister Mikhail Portnoi put forward an initiative to increase the period of visa-free stay in Belarus to ten days in early July. “We are working with other ministries to increase the period of visa-free stay in our country. We suggest extending it to ten days,” he said. According to him, the importance of strengthening Belarus’ spa and resort sector emphasizes the need for extending the visa-free travel program. The revenues from health tourism now account for a considerable share of the total export of tourism services. “To improve health at a Belarusian spa, one needs to undergo some 8 to 12 treatment sessions. Five days is not a long enough period for that,” Mikhail Portnoi noted.

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