The process of visa liberalization between the European Union and Armenia, which was intended to open new opportunities for simplifying travel for Armenian citizens, has already encountered its first challenges. Despite the shared intention to bring the parties closer and facilitate movement, some EU member states, particularly Poland, are proposing stricter controls for several countries, including Armenia. The reason lies in criminal and illegal activities carried out by citizens of third countries arriving in the EU.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged that the country faces issues with organized crime linked to Georgian groups. Concerns about crime remain a pressing topic in relations between the EU and other countries as well. This tension creates risks for the successful completion of negotiations between Armenia and the EU, as the Polish government intends to take decisive measures in migration control.
On July 30, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Czesław Mrożek, told RMF FM that Poland is preparing a request to Schengen Zone countries to introduce a visa regime for citizens of several countries whose presence in Poland, according to the ministry, is associated with growing threats that have become particularly noticeable in recent months. A preliminary list of countries subject to the new rules has already been compiled.
Although the ministry has not yet published an official list of these countries, it is unofficially known that four specific countries are under consideration: Georgia, Armenia, Venezuela, and Colombia.
According to Wprost.pl, Georgia and Armenia are among the countries frequently mentioned in police reports. “Georgian gangs have become very active in recent months, including in Warsaw,” RMF FM reported, citing police summaries. A high percentage of crimes are also committed by Armenian citizens, which raises concerns among law enforcement agencies. Regarding Venezuela, Mrożek noted that it is “to a significant extent a Russian-controlled country,” which, in the context of the current geopolitical situation, causes serious concern.
As for Colombian citizens wishing to work in Poland, a visa regime has already been introduced. Now, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is preparing a request to impose a visa requirement for all Colombian tourists, regardless of the purpose of their visit. This is linked to a dramatic incident from a year ago: according to the Internal Security Agency, a Colombian citizen set fire to two construction warehouses in Warsaw and Radom, an act classified as sabotage.
The issue was commented on by Hrachya Boyajyan, Armenia’s Honorary Consul in Poland and a representative of the Armenian minority in the Polish government’s Commission on National and Ethnic Minorities.
“The Armenian Embassy is holding discussions with the relevant Polish authorities to understand the reasons behind this decision,” Boyajyan stated.
At the same time, he acknowledged that unofficial channels have clarified that the tightening of the visa regime is indeed linked to the high percentage of crimes committed by citizens of these countries.
“Armenian citizens, too… They obtain visas, arrive, and engage in illegal activities. This may be why Armenia is on this list. But there’s no need to look for a political subtext. Poland is very open to cooperation with Armenia. It is during Poland’s EU presidency that progress in the visa liberalization process with Armenia is planned,” he said.
Armenia abolished visas for EU citizens back in 2013. In January 2014, agreements on visa facilitation and readmission between the EU and Armenia came into effect. On September 9, 2024, a dialogue on visa liberalization for Armenian citizens officially began between Armenia and the European Union. Despite this, the process of obtaining a Schengen visa for Armenian citizens has become significantly more complicated.
The situation was commented on by Dr. Karolina Wanda Olszowska, coordinator of the Regional Center for International Debates in Krakow and a historian and Turkologist at Jagiellonian University, in an interview with VECTORS.am:
“Many countries outside the Schengen Zone complain about serious problems with obtaining visas. Turkey, in particular, is among the leaders here, as it has repeatedly made visa liberalization a condition for further cooperation under various circumstances. Turkey currently faces significant visa issues; even students struggle to obtain visas for studying in Poland, whereas a few years ago, it was much easier. Given the serious problems with unregulated migration in various EU countries in recent years, as well as the fact that Russian citizens use third countries to enter EU territory, I don’t think visa abolition or simplification will be realistic in the near future.”
At the same time, the expert clarified that visa matters are regulated at the EU level, so Schengen and EU member states cannot independently make visa-related decisions; they can only strengthen border controls but cannot alter the list of countries requiring visas. This means that visa abolition or tightening does not depend on improvements or deteriorations in crime statistics in a single country—it must be a decision of the entire EU.
It seems that migration, or rather uncontrolled migration, and the resulting crime, is indeed an issue that the EU’s visa policy has so far failed to address. Reintroducing visas for third countries would mean admitting defeat, which the EU is unlikely to do in the current circumstances. Therefore, a decision was made to introduce a new electronic system, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will become mandatory for citizens of countries with visa-free access to the Schengen Zone.
Starting in 2026, citizens of 59 countries will need to obtain entry authorization. The cost of this authorization was initially planned to be €7, but discussions are now underway to increase it to €20. The authorization will be valid for three years. It will be issued free of charge to pensioners and minors.
“While ETIAS is not formally a visa, it is a kind of ‘soft return’ to a visa system, only in an electronic and standardized format. Its main purpose is to screen who is crossing EU borders and why. This is linked to the rise in illegal migration and various hybrid security threats. The ETIAS system is very similar to the one recently introduced in the UK,” noted Karolina Wanda Olszowska.
In parallel, Russia is also introducing digital registration for citizens of countries eligible for visa-free entry. At least 72 hours before arrival, individuals must register through the “Gosuslugi RuID” app and obtain a QR code to present at the border. In urgent cases, applications can be submitted at least four hours before arrival. However, the app is currently experiencing issues, so registration remains voluntary.
It appears that electronic control is currently the only mechanism that balances freedom of movement with societal protection. In an era of growing challenges and threats, leaving borders completely open would be too risky.
Marina Brutyan