The Romanian authorities have refused Canada’s first offer on lifting visas for Romanians, reports local Digi24.

The Canadian authorities have sent a proposal to both the Romanian and Bulgarian governments. According to this offer, the visas are to be lifted in stages until May 2018. However, unlike the Bulgarian authorities, the Romanian officials didn’t agree with this deadline. They would want the Canadians to propose a specific date for 2017.

The negotiations between the Romanian and Canadian authorities are set to continue this week.

Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos announced in September, after the 71st UN General Assembly session in New York, that Canada might decide to drop visas for Romanians “in a few weeks.”

Moreover, John McCallum, the Canadian Minister of Immigration said in mid-July that Canada was expected to announce the results of its assessment on removing the travel visas for Romania and Bulgaria this fall.

The Romanians and Bulgarians are the only EU citizens who still need visas to enter Canada.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com