FYROM imposes visa regime

TIRANA, Jan. 8 – The Albanian Foreign Ministry said it has begun negotiations with Macedonia regarding the visa regime between the two countries. Macedonian and Albanian media have reported that Skopje intends to revoke the rule of issuing visas at border check points and introduce a set of new applications procedures that require the submission of supporting documents by visa applicants for the review of the Macedonian consular section in Tirana. The head of the Parliamentarian Committee for Foreign Policy, Pre硚ogaj, criticized such a plan, arguing that free movement was in the interest of both countries who have similar aspirations of EU integration. He also said that Albania will not do the same if Macedonia decides to introduce a stricter visa regime.