Bulgaria's Membership in EU So Far has not Led to Changes in Conditions for Belarusians' Travel

The accession of Bulgaria to the European Union on January 1, 2007 so far has not led to changes in the conditions for visits to the country by Belarusian citizens, Georgi Karastamatov, a counselor at the Bulgarian embassy in Minsk, told reporters on Tuesday.

According to him, the requirements and conditions for obtaining a Bulgarian visa still remain the same, BelaPAN reported.

However, he said, Belarus and Bulgaria have not yet managed to sign an agreement on mutual travel of citizens, which would provide for privileges other than what the Bulgarian government annually does, exempting Belarusian citizens from paying a visa fee. "Organized" Belarusian tourists only have to pay a consular fee of €20.

In 2006, more than 23.000 Belarusians visited Bulgaria, a 35-percent rise from the previous year, Ambassador Petko Ganchev said, adding that the number might increase by 35 to 40 percent in 2007. The ambassador linked the rise to Belarusians' better awareness of the level of the tourist services provided in Bulgaria.