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‘EU is willing to simplify visa procedures but the official Minsk does not move towards the initiative,' Jean-Eric Holfzapfel, EuroCommision representative in Minsk, answered along these lines to our question. This interview will be used in an updated version of the BorderLand documentary filmed by JuBIC in cooperation with TV Belsat. The picture attracted a great deal of attention from the Lithuanian MFA.
During his visit to Vilnius, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, the President of Belarus, criticised EU for overpricing visas and discriminating Belarusians in all visa matters.
However, it is precisely the Belarusian side, which is hampering signing up necessary documents and agreements to ease off a borderland movement with Poland and Lithuania, Mr Holfzapfel said.  "Between Poland and Belarus such a [borderland] agreement has been signed and it is waiting agreement of the president. As soon as the President of Belarus approves it, than there will be many facilities for Belarusian citizens to move freely within the border region to Poland. The same system is in preparation for Lithuania, what is missing is a signature of Belarus" the head of EC mission to Minsk shared.
The EU high representative reassured our organisation that EU is interested in easing up lives of Belarusians who live not only in the borderland regions. "We are working on this and it is recognized as a priority for Belarus and the EU because in EU we want the Belarusian citizens to move more easily to EU, it is indeed very important. But in order to achieve that, we need to work together with Belarusian authorities".
"It is in the hands of Belarus," the diplomat summed up.
Lithuania MFA interest
The BorderLand documentary tells about the absurd situations and a painful influence of the "visa curtain" on people's life, especially those who live along the border. It was filmed by JuBIC in cooperation with BelSat and the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After the film had been completed it attracted quite a bit of attention from MFA.
"We are happy that MFA was not only a sponsor [of the film] but also its active consumer," Mariana Iljina, our organisation chairwoman, said.
The ministry screened the documentary in total two times with practically all of the highest officials attending. "We did not expect such a success amongst one of our main target audiences. It is important that diplomats learn how ordinary people live in Belarus and Lithuania."
 Precisely acting upon the MFA request JuBIC has agreed to update the documentary with interviews of the EC and Lithuanian Parliament representatives.
Diplomats from Belarus and other European countries attended the first BorderLand screening in December last year.
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