According to the video from Salzburg: EU visa stop for Russians demanded
That could be “another effective sanction,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told Czech news agency CTK. He will raise the issue at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague at the end of August. As it became known in the evening, Estonia wants to refuse entry to almost all Russians from next week.
This should also apply if they can present a visa from the Estonian authorities. “The number of Russians entering the Schengen area without border controls has increased enormously,” said Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. The mass arrivals are not in line with the sanctions imposed on Russia. With a few exceptions, visas will no longer be issued to Russians. This closes a route used by many Russians into the European Union.
Trigger: Russian mocked in Salzburg
“Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right,” tweeted Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, also calling for a general ban on EU tourism visas for Russians. “Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians,” Kallas wrote. “While Schengen countries issue visas, Russia’s neighboring countries bear the burden.” Kalla’s tweet was triggered by a video that a Russian woman posted on Telegram while on vacation in Salzburg.
The young woman had filmed herself mocking two women on the street. “Girls, glory to Russia?” she shouted, singing “Russia will win, Russia will win”. Then they provocatively ask the two women, who they obviously assumed to be Ukrainians: “Who owns Cherson?” The vague answer of one of the two is probably: “Ukraine.” The Russian then sneered: “Yes, yes, yes to Ukraine.” A referendum has already been held. “To hell with your Ukraine.” The booking platform booking.com then canceled her accommodation.
“In the period of Russian aggression, the declared borders of which are constantly being pushed back, there can be no talk of normal tourism by Russian citizens. It’s a question of our security,” Lipavsky said. He is trying to “limit the influence of the Russian secret services on EU territory”.
The Czech Republic stopped issuing visas to Russians just one day after the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The same measure was later taken against Belarus. At the end of February, the EU blocked the entire airspace for Russian aircraft. Since then, however, Russians have been able to travel to Estonia, Latvia or Finland by land with a visa and fly on from there.
An EU visa freeze for Russian citizens would be a “clear and direct signal” to Russian society that the West will not tolerate aggression against free democratic countries that do not threaten Russia in any way,” said Foreign Minister Lipavsky Citizens “should feel that militant policies have consequences.” At the same time, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke out against a complete ban on tourist visas for Russians, as demanded by British President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Finnish government only announced at the beginning of August that visa regulations for Russians would be tightened. Russian citizens should no longer be granted tourist visas according to the previous regulations, the Finnish radio station Yle reported. The Foreign Ministry in Helsinki is preparing appropriate measures that should be discussed at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting at the end of August, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told the broadcaster.