Russian border to be closed for Belarusian opposition activists

Belarus and Russia are expected to exchange the information on the persons subject to a travel ban.

The migration services of Belarus and Russia will discuss the issues on the exchange of information about the citizens who have been restricted to leave the “union state”. Interfax-Zapad news agency learned from the Belarusian Interior Ministry on Tuesday.

“Questions of preparation of agreements on mutual recognition of the decisions on denial of entry to the union state for citizens of third countries and exchange of information on the persons restricted to leave the country will be discussed in Minsk on August 6—7, “ the Interior Ministry reports.

The ministry adds the issues will be discussed at a meeting of the  interstate interdepartmental working group to work out recommendations regarding the concerted migration policy in the “union state” of Belarus and Russia.

The Belarusian delegation will be headed by deputy interior minister Mikalai Melchanka. The Russian delegation will be led by deputy director of the Federal Migration Service Anatoly Kuznetsov, the Belarusian Interior Ministry reports.

Representatives of the Belarusian Interior Ministry and the Russian Federal Migration Service are expected to discuss questions on “working our common approaches in migration policy” and discuss problems of equal rights of citizens in the “union state”, the Belarusian ministry says.

Besides, the ministry notes the parties will “exchange the information on amendments to the legislation in the related area and discuss a number of bilateral international draft agreements”. The parties are also expected to talk over questions of “improving the mechanisms of securing equal rights to movement and choice residence on the territory of the union members for citizens of Belarus and Russia”, the Belarusian Interior says.

“A package of questions relating to cooperation in the sphere of illegal migration, including carrying out  investigative and preventive operations 'Illegal migrant' will be considered,” the ministry informs.