The EU fears cancel visa requirements for Ukrainians

This opinion was expressed by the head of the police departments of the European Union, Rob Wainwright, representing in Brussels the report on the fight against organized crime in the EU. "If the abolition of controls at borders, it is a chance for organized crime," – said Wainwright. Europol experts called the Ukrainian criminal groups are one of the key components of drug smuggling into the EU. According to them, if before the main route of drug trafficking in Europe ran from Afghanistan via Turkey and the Balkans, and now everything is becoming more powerful mafia in the Black Sea basin, say law enforcement officers. The new route runs through Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine to Romania and the Baltic countries, and from there – in other EU countries. Central role in transporting heroin and cocaine, according to Europol, the assigned port of Odessa. "The planned introduction of a visa-free regime with Ukraine can contribute to route traffic across the Black Sea" – said in a report by Europol. As the representatives of the European Police Office, the abolition of visas for citizens of Ukraine, Russia and Georgia could lead to massive abuse. In this case, Europol experts point to the experience gained after the abolition of visas for Serbs, Macedonians and Montenegrins. "Without a doubt, this will open up new opportunities for organized criminal groups specializing in illegal migration and human trafficking" – the report says. Europol also points to the crucial role of post-Soviet countries in the smuggling of cigarettes and tobacco in Western Europe. It states, inter alia, on cooperation between Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Polish gangs: "Companies from Ukraine supplying tobacco, other components are shipped through the port of Klaipeda, cigarettes illegally manufactured in Poland." "Criminal groups from Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Russia and the Western Balkan countries are waiting for the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen zone, to expand its influence in the EU", – the expert concludes Europol.