The combined population of Russian monotowns reaches 14 million. Economic situation in many of Russia’s monotowns is rapidly deteriorating.

Around half of all Schengen visas issued globally are issued in just three Eastern European states, i.e. Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. This paper reviews the European Commission's proposal of April 2014 to ease the Schengen Area visa rules.

After a decade-long story of failed attempts to start and proceed with the visa facilitation negotiations between the EU and Belarus, the long-awaited agreement was never closer to becoming a reality than on the eve of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga.