7 East European Countries Hire Lobbyists to Lift US Visas

Politics | April 30, 2007, Monday // 00:00

Seven ex-communist members of European Union hired a lobbying firm to help them push legislation that would waive US visas for their citizens, Czech Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova confirmed Monday.

"The issue of visas for our countries is not a priority for US lawmakers," Opletalova said, as cited by dpa. "The firm should be a prolonged arm of our embassies whose strength would not have been sufficient."

According to Hospodarske noviny daily report, the countries chose Dutko Worldwide, a lobbying firm whose Prague branch was formerly headed by former Czech ambassador to the US and current Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Alexandr Vondra.

"That did not play any role," Opletalova said. "What played a role were the contacts the firm has in the US Congress."

Each country - the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Romania - is to pay 5,000 dollars a month for Dutko services as long as is necessary, Opletalova said.

While the Bush administration has supported the Eastern European visa-lifting drive, any change lies in the hands of the Democratic Congress.

Under the current Visa Waiver programme, the United States does not require visas from citizens of 15 of the 27 countries in the EU, but the scheme does not apply to Greece or the 10 new member states, except Slovenia.

Several EU nations, including Greece and Slovakia, have struck back by introducing visa restrictions for US diplomats.

US ambassador to the EU Boyden Gray said last week that Washington is likely to extend the visa-free entry for the eleven EU member states not covered by the waiver scheme by the end of the year.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Politics » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria