Russia and Maldives introduce visa-free regime

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister Maldives Shaheed signed an agreement on the abolition of the visa regime between the states.

Abdullah Shahid became the first Maldivian foreign minister to visit Russia. The talks were broadcast on the Foreign Ministry's Twitter page.

In 2018, the number of Russians traveling to the Maldives increased. After the abolition of visas, there will be even more people wishing to go to the islands. Tourist flow in the first quarter of 2019 increased by 15%, in April the islands were visited by 190,713 tourists, compared with 163,000 travelers in 2018.

The foreign ministers discussed security issues. "The partners assured us that they will pay special attention to ensuring the safety of foreign tourists," Lavrov said.

Source: kp