Visa-free regimes for Slovak citizens travelling to the U.S.A. and Canada are more of a technical than a political matter, Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Diana Štrofová told SLOVAKIA on February 28. Given that Slovakia met all the conditions necessary to join the Schengen zone in December, the country is also complying with most of the criteria for visa-free travel to Canada, she added.
"The only criteria that have remained unresolved are those on which we have no direct influence," said Štrofová, referring to the 4-percent limit set by Canada for rejected visa applications and the need to boost the living standards of certain ethnic minorities. "The key is to convince Canada that the cancellation of the visa obligation won't be followed by a mass immigration of Slovak citizens." Štrofová also noted that an evaluation report drawn up by the Canadian authorities, who are continuously assessing Slovakia's compliance with the criteria for visa-free travel, should be ready in March. TASR
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