Israel will introduce a visa waiver regime for Ukrainians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has commissioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start negotiations with Ukraine concerning technical and judiciary aspects of a visa waiver regime. The Israeli government has considered the question of a visa waiver regime between Ukraine and Israel at the initiative of the leaders of the party Yisrael Beitenu (Israel is Our Home), the Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and the Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov. “This decision is in Israel’s national interests,” Netanyahu said. Moreover, the Israeli government commissioned the Foreign Ministry to cancel, fully or partially, visa fees for Ukrainian citizens who travel to Israel (at the moment the consular fee for Ukrainians is 17 dollars, whereas for Israeli residents Ukrainian visas cost between 30 and 80 dollars). At the same time, Israel has launched a special commission chaired by the Minister of Justice Ya’akov Ne’eman that would provide recommendations concerning visa cancellation before the international agreement is signed. On Dec.7, 2009, the governments of the two countries reached an agreement on the modification of the visa regime.