Kaliningrad Region's Residents, Lithuanians to Visit Each Other Visaless till July 1, 2003

Until July 1, 2003, the residents of the Kaliningrad Region will be able to visit Lithuania without entrance visas. Until the same date, Lithuanians will be able to travel visaless to the region. This is according to the statement made at a press conference by Rimantas Shidlauskas, the Ambassador of Lithuania to Russia.

'However', Ambassador continued to say, 'even after July 1, the residents of the Kaliningrad Region will be subject to easier entrance rules, including free visas for terms of up to 1 year'. He concluded by saying that the transition to the new visa regime would be gradual so it would not resemble 'shock therapy'.

Ambassador informed that a new Lithuanian consulate would be opened in the town of Sovetsk shortly, the existing consulate in Kaliningrad extended.