Austria will inquire into the complaints of delay and rejection of genuine Sri Lankan visa applications to visit that country, according to Raimund Magis, Deputy Head of Mission of the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi.
In an interview with the Sunday Times FT, he noted that he was not aware of the crisis over visas and that the embassy has so far not received any such complaints.
Expressing his views on visas for Sri Lankans, he said that visa applications should be processed within 10 days and the German Embassy in Sri Lanka is empowered to handle the procedure.
However he said that he will look into the complaints made by Sri Lankan visa applicants which he was made aware after ariving in the island from Russia. The Sunday Times FT last week highlighted the plight of Sri Lankan visa applicants seeking to visit Austria. Mr. Magis arrived in the island on a 3-day visit mainly to discuss with Sri Lankan authorities Austrian assistance for IDPs in the North. In response to a question raised by the Sunday Times FT, Mr. Magis said that there is no need for Sri Lankans to visit the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi to get their visas but they have the right to rectify any unwarranted rejections.
Most of the visas had been rejected due to the failure to produce the required documents and the forwarding of forged documents, he said. He acknowledged that the current flow of tourists from Austria was modest but there was potential for attracting high spending tourists. In this context, enhancing air links as well as conducting tourist promotion campaigns was deemed important.
Mr. Magis noted that Austria is offering scholarships for Sri Lankan students to pursue studies in their universities under the North South Programme.
In order to strengthen the current bilateral economic and trade relations, Austria is exploring the possibility of working out a more flexible mechanism to promote tourism trade, investment and infrastructure development in Sri Lanka, he said.
He noted that Austria is considering a government request to assist in the resettlement of IDPs adding that all their assistance will be channeled through NGOs on a project basis where a strict monitoring process will be followed.
However he pointed out that his country was closely watching the current political situation in the country before making any financial commitments towards the resettlement process.
Mr Magis asserted that reaching a sustainable political settlement that meets the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka is essential for the future prosperity and long term development of the island.
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