Prodi ‘no’ to Kaliningrad free movement of citizens

Date: 02/05/02

By David Cronin

TALKS over what the future holds for Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad are set to intensify after the European Commission spurned Moscow's request for the region's population to enjoy freedom of movement when its neighbours join the EU.

In a confidential memo to Commission chief Romano Prodi, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kassiyanov asked for an end to visa requirements for Kaliningrad inhabitants crossing into adjoining Poland and Lithuania after enlargement. He also wants customs controls lifted for trains and vehicles.

Moscow is concerned that, unless a special case is made for Kaliningrad's 950,000 people, the enclave risks being economically isolated.

Prodi swiftly rejected the proposals as they appear to conflict with the Schengen agreement on border controls.

According to one Russian diplomat, the purpose of tabling the recommendations now was to engender a debate before the Russia-EU Cooperation Committee on 14-15 May, meeting in Kaliningrad. The diplomat was not surprised that the Commission was hostile.

Gunnar Wiegand, the Commission's spokesman on external relations, said there are 'certainly divergences which exist' between the sides on the issues. But he added there will be regular discussions on overcoming the problems during the Kaliningrad meeting and ahead of a summit between EU leaders and President Vladimir Putin next month.

Last month the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee urged that an agreement be made to ease free movement of people and goods between Kaliningrad and the prospective EU entrants.

The European Commission has rejected Russia's request for the inhabitants of its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad to enjoy freedom of movement when neighbouring countries join the EU.