Citizens of the neighboring Republic of Moldova are granted a visa-free travel to most European Union countries starting today, as part of the country's bid to sign an association deal with the EU bloc.

According to the decision, the "closer relations with the European Union do bring tangible benefits to all," said the EU's home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem.

Thus, citizens of Moldova carrying a biometric passport are authorized to travel without a visa for short stays to the Schengen zone, which currently comprises 26 countries, 22 of them members of the 28-nation EU.

Up to 55,000 Moldovans apply for short-term visas into the EU each year.

However, according to AFP, there was a mixed response to the new visa-free travel in Moldova’s capital Chisinau, with a poll showing half of respondents underwhelmed on the grounds they were either too poor to travel or already owned a Romanian passport opening the door to the EU.

“As of April 28, all citizens of the Republic of Moldova can travel without a visa in the European Union, therefore in Romania, too. I wish to congratulate the authorities in Chisinau for this remarkable success obtained at the end of four years of efforts and intense reforms, not always carried out under favorable external circumstances, but promoted with perseverance and courage,” said the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Titus Corlatean, according to a statement of the ministry.

“Welcome to Romania! Welcome back to Europe!,” concludes the message.

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