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Lajcak: Slovakia Not Thrilled Over American ESTA Registration System
Sunday 03 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 3 (TASR) - The Foreign Affairs Ministry representatives don't want to over-dramatise the situation regarding the introduction of online travel system ESTA for registering people visiting the U.S., Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak told TASR in an interview.
"However, we're not thrilled over ESTA registration and most certainly don't welcome it," said Lajcak.
Although the measure in and of itself won't have a negative impact on Slovaks, Lajcak thinks it will undermine the positive psychological effect wrought by cancellation of the visa duty. "If somebody can afford to travel to the U.S., there's no way this $10 fee (charged for questionnaire) might present a problem. However, the financial benefit obtained by the American side will pale in comparison with the damage to their moral credit. If I want people to come on over and travel, I don't introduce such restrictions on their arrival," claimed Lajcak.
The U.S. Senate has passed the proposal to charge visitors for mandatory registration in September 2009. To come into effect, the proposal still needs to be yet passed in the House of Representatives and signed by President Barack Obama. Revenues from the charges are supposed to cover the operational costs of the system and boost tourism as well. People from most European countries can travel to the U.S. visa-free; however, they are required to register into the ESTA system at least 72 hours before the travel. Moreover, the travel permit in ESTA must be renewed every two years.
Lajcak said that Slovakia intends to adopt a systematic course of action in addressing the cases where the immigration official denied entry (for Slovak nationals) to the U.S., even though all required conditions have been met. As rare as these cases can be, according to Lajcak, they still take place. "We'd like to receive more explanation and some system as to how to proceed when people obtained clearance, yet the immigration officers denied them entry. If there's some problem, we want our people to know the reason for it – and to be treated with dignity during the entire process," said Lajcak.
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