Surinamese President Jennifer Simons and Foreign Minister Melvin Bouva have declared the resolution of visa restrictions and exorbitant flight tariffs as urgent national priorities in bilateral relations with the Netherlands. The announcement came during a presidential press conference held Wednesday at the Commewijne district commissioner’s office.
President Simons revealed that the recent Dutch state visit to Suriname highlighted the severe hardships faced by Surinamese citizens navigating the current visa application process. “The prolonged waiting periods, poor physical conditions at application centers, and documentational ambiguity are fundamentally inhumane and require immediate reform,” Simons stated.
The administration identified two primary pressure points: short-term emergency visas (for medical emergencies, bereavement, or urgent family matters) and regular visa applications. President Simons confirmed that Suriname will formally submit a visa liberalization request to the European Commission—a move that could eventually grant Surinamese citizens visa-free travel to Europe’s Schengen area. The Netherlands has committed to diplomatically supporting this initiative in Brussels.
Concurrently, both nations are collaborating on procedural improvements including enhanced information dissemination, reduced processing times, and more dignified treatment of applicants.
Foreign Minister Bouva addressed the parallel issue of escalating airfares on the Paramaribo-Amsterdam route, dominated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He characterized the prices as “prohibitively expensive for most Surinamese citizens” and attributed the problem to insufficient market competition and unfavorable peak-season pricing mechanisms.
“We are actively negotiating with multiple airlines to break the current market monopoly,” Bouva announced. “Surinamese people deserve affordable connections to maintain family ties and business relationships.”
President Simons framed these dual challenges as matters of human dignity and national sovereignty: “When visa applications become demeaning and air travel becomes unaffordable, it strikes at the heart of families, impedes cultural exchange, and restricts economic development. We approach these discussions as equals seeking partnership, not dependency, but the freedom of movement for our citizens must be respected.”
Immediate next steps include:
– Formal submission of visa liberalization request to European Commission
– Diplomatic support from Netherlands in Brussels negotiations
– Market diversification talks with alternative airlines
– Enhanced guidance for visa applicants regarding documentation requirements
– Short-term improvements in humane treatment during visa processing
The government emphasized that resolution of these issues remains critical for maintaining cultural connectivity and economic cooperation between the two nations.