Citizens of Georgia go to Europe without a visa, while Azerbaijan...

On November 23, Baku played host to the 7th Meeting of the European Union-Azerbaijan Joint Committee on visa facilitation, as announced by Peter Mikhalko, the head of the EU mission in Azerbaijan. In a tweet, Mikhalko noted the ten-year milestone since the signing of the visa regime simplification agreement, promoting comfortable travel for individuals.

During the meeting, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed the challenges faced by citizens during visa applications to EU member states' diplomatic missions. An exchange of views on mechanisms for overcoming these difficulties took place.

The agreement on the simplification of the visa regime between the EU and Azerbaijan was signed on November 29, 2013, at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, entering into force in 2014. Azerbaijan collaborates with the EU under the "Eastern Partnership" Program, initiated in 2009 to foster closer integration between six former Soviet republics and the EU. While Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have advanced in their association with the EU, Azerbaijan's negotiations on a partnership agreement are ongoing, and Belarus has ceased cooperation.

Fazil Mustafa, a member of the human rights committee of the Milli Majlis, in an interview with Turan, highlighted the intensity of Azerbaijan's relations with the EU, acknowledging successful progress in visa-related matters. Mustafa noted that although there are restrictions, Azerbaijan's prospects and cooperation opportunities with Europe are substantial. He criticized the EU's double standard approach, emphasizing the need for the EU to change its stance after resolving visa issues with Azerbaijan.

Mustafa suggested that the EU might be using visa facilitation as a form of political pressure on Azerbaijan, expressing the country's preference for a resolution without conditions. He underscored that Azerbaijan would not tolerate increased pressure on issues like territorial integrity or the Armenian conflict.

Bashir Suleymanli, the head of the Civil Rights Institute, stressed in an interview with Radio Azadlig the lack of positive changes in obtaining Schengen visas in Azerbaijan. He attributed the difficulties to both EU countries and the Azerbaijani government. While the EU could simplify the visa process, Suleymanli criticized the Azerbaijani government for delaying the signing of an association agreement with the EU. He contrasted Azerbaijan's visa difficulties with Georgia's visa-free travel to EU countries and Armenia's recent progress in visa simplification.

Suleymanli observed an increasing complexity in visa procedures over the past few years, causing inconvenience for ordinary citizens and civil society representatives participating in various processes.