Schengen.” In Western Europe the word belongs to the jargon Made in EU and is rarely heard out of official speeches. In Ukraine though, “Schengen” often gets used in common conversations between friends – especially amongst people who like travelling. Indeed, for a lot of Ukrainians, hidden behind this technical word, there is the “fortress EU.” Sure, at first, there is a wish to visit places like Rome, Madrid, Berlin or Paris… “See Paris and die” as the Russian saying goes. But the dream quickly faces the difficulties of reality: how to get a so-called “Schengen visa” to enjoy a holiday in Western Europe? “It is a real nightmare” answer the ones who simply dream about tourism in the West. Long queues and long lists of documents – applying and getting a visa for a Schengen country is a long process. Besides this, there is the big threat of getting a refusal stamp in your passport from one of the countries in the Schengen area. In practice, this “No” means that for several years the person won’t be able to visit any other Schengen country. On the contrary, a first “Yes” opens the gates of the fortress. Here is the way the administrators work: if our colleagues from France or Spain have already rejected the application, why should we the Italians or Germans accept it? It seems logical for some suits in offices. In this context, Ukrainians exchange tips to minimize risks. On the Internet forums, messages rank the embassies from the least risky to the most – where in addition the personnel are especially nasty. Another possibility is to apply through one of these specialized and expensive agencies which ensure a Schengen visa. The ads claim almost 100 % of positive results. Almost!
Obviously, the fear of illegal immigration explains the behavior of the Western embassies. However, at a time when the Schengen area is about to be enlarged to include central Europe EU members, it is important to revise this policy and give Ukrainian tourists a real chance to see what it looks like behind the wall. Behind the Schengen wall!
Text by Pierre Jeanmougin, France
Illustration by Anna Popova, Ukraine
