Ukraine hails visa-free travel to European Union

 

    Ukrainians have celebrated the introduction of visa-free travel to the European Union with special events.

    President Petro Poroshenko hailed the fall of the paper curtain at a gathering in the capital, Kiev.

   He also opened a symbolic visa-free door to Europe, and met Slovak President, Andrej Kiska, at the Uzhgorod border checkpoint.
   However, Ukrainians who want to work in the European Union still need to obtain a working visa.
   But in Russia, whose relations with Ukraine are tense, pushed the idea that the change would result in an influx of illegal labour migrants from Ukraine, and that the European Union might eventually suspend the deal.
    The visa-free scheme allows Ukrainians with a biometric passport to enter the Schengen area, including some non- European Union areas such as Switzerland and Iceland, but not the UK or Ireland - without a visa for up to 90 days.