AFTER five years, Great Britain has cancelled visa duty for Slovak citizens as of December 18, even before the country joins the European Union, the daily SME reported.
British Ambassador to Slovakia Ric Todd said that, from May, Slovaks will be able to freely travel, work, and run businesses in Great Britain just as citizens of other EU member countries.
"People who try to abuse the system will get nothing and will have to leave," added Todd.
British PM Tony Blair promised Dzurinda he would abolish the visas when they met in London on April 14, 2003.
In March 2001, the EU included Slovakia on its list of safe countries to which visa regimes will not apply. Great Britain and Ireland, who have individual arrangements in the visa policy sphere, have not joined the measure.
Britain installed a visa regime for Slovakia in 1998 due to the rising number of Roma asylum seekers from Slovakia.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
