Restrict Access – Russia |
Interfax-Russia.ru — The Estonian authorities restrict the issuance of visas and entry into the country of citizens of the Russian Federation. The Czech Foreign Ministry does not stop the ban on Schengen visas for Russians as a reward against Moscow.
The Estonian government on the eve decided on August 18 limited issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as entry into the country on a Schengen visa issued by Estonia. Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu at the State press conference composed of representatives of the group growth in the number of Russian citizens entering through Estonia or entering Estonia from Russia.
“The opportunity for Russian citizens on a massive scale Aliexpress Estonia or Europe through Estonia, which does not correspond to the spirit of the decisions we have taken,” he said, suggested that Russia should not be able to “lead a possible normal international life at the level of its citizens.”
The Foreign Minister said that Estonia would also stop issuing visas to Russian citizens for work, study and business. At the same time, in his opinion, as an exception, the residence permit in Estonia will be extended for one year by those students who complete their studies at Estonian higher educational institutions.
At the same time, noted by Reinu, citizens of the Russian Federation, a significant important residence permit in Estonia, arriving in Estonia, who live with close relatives working in Estonia, diplomats and representatives of their families, prisoners, prisoners with freight and passenger transport, citizens, citizens , can travel in accordance with the exception of the EU (and people who enter Estonia on humanitarian issues), are still allowed to enter Estonia.
Meanwhile, MEP Jana Toom believes that allowing Estonia to ban entry into the country for Russian citizens who have a national Estonian Schengen visa manages an absurd situation.
“We do not make decisions for the entire Schengen area, fortunately only for ourselves. All we can do is to ban visas, we ourselves gave people away yesterday. — quote Toom “Izvestia”.
According to the authors, the idea of a visa ban for Russians on screens cannot be implemented among the initiators. Mention that there is a definition of the sanctions regime, it has two needs – the restoration or restoration of peace, compliance.
“I just can’t afford to think of a small head how to ban Russians from entering Ukraine,” the MEP said.
For his part, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky on the eve of allowed the introduction of a ban on the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens as another sanction against Moscow.
Finnish authorities also declare plans for a shortage of transit tourism for Russians.
“Since the anti-COVID travel restrictions were lifted, the number of border crossings with Finland from Russia has increased by 10-30% compared to spring and early summer. Roskomnadzor restricted access to the website of the Finnish television and radio company).
Russian tourists currently represent Finland as a transit point, according to the ministry, however, some of them present a different Finnish visa, which may be removed if the previous visa issued by Finland was used only for transit to another country.
As the head of the consular service noted, the Finnish Foreign Ministry currently provides extensive visa control, limiting the possibility of making an appointment at the republic’s diplomatic missions in Russia. In addition, in the future, an increase in the period for consideration of visa applications is not ruled out.
According to YLE, some Russian transport companies have begun offering car flights from St. Petersburg to Helsinki and Lappeenrata airports, which have direct flights to all of Europe. Finland lifted anti-COVID entry restrictions on June 30, resuming the reception of tourists from third countries, including from Russia. The consequence of the restriction of crossing land borders in the Russian Federation. Since July 15, Russian tourists have been visiting Finland with a foreign passport and a Schengen visa.
“The EU has probably set some priorities for this type of business going forward,” Tanner suggested.
In connection with the need for an early issuance of visas to Russians from the special economic operation in Ukraine, as the Baltic countries did, at the end of July some Finnish deputies spoke. However, Tytti Tuppurainen, Minister for European Affairs and Public Property, said that the republic does not intend to take such measures, since the issue should be agreed upon at the level of application.
The European Commission, in turn, confirmed that EU rules do not completely prohibit the issuance of visas to Russians. As European Commission representative Anita Hipper noted at a briefing in Brussels, there are no procedures in place to prohibit the issuance of short-stay visas to foreigners, including Russians, but in each case the issue is covered by the EU, taking into account the Special Features.
Recommendations (of the European Commission on the rules of application – IF) are being studied, consulates are evaluating this. We are confident that properly coordinated actions are being taken,” she said.
Journalists use her attention to the fact that Finland and Latvia are raising the topic of the regularity of the application of the Schengen Code, not wanting to be transit countries for Russian tourists who have received visas in the EU states, and that there is not enough probability for this adaptation.
“The responsibility for issuing or not issuing a visa rests with the Member States, which are accepted only on an individual basis.
By establishing her EU country in accordance with the recommendations of the EC must specifically each request for a visa and may indicate in case of a possible accident for public health, internal security or international relations.
Hipper also noted that the Russian side has significantly worsened the situation with the staff of the consulates of the EU countries in the Russian Federation, which further complicated the situation with the issuance of visas.
At the same time, answering the question about the possibility of Russians leaving the EU countries, the representative of the EC noted that it is important that in each case the member states comply with their obligations.
“There are always categories of people, objects must be identified by visas.
At the same time, she noted that the EU has partially suspended the implementation of visa facilitation with Russia. But this decision, she clarified, captures businessmen, diplomats, officials, it does not concern ordinary citizens.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz doubted the possibility of banning the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians.
“It is very difficult for me to imagine the development of events,” he said at a press conference the day before in response to a request to comment on each proposal.
At the same time, he recalled that Germany had previously drawn attention to a number of well-known persons of the Russian Federation.
On the idea that a ban on the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens is unlikely to be favorable in EU countries, consideration and analytical comments published in a Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
“This idea will be considered at the general level of EU development. In addition, a complete ban on entry to all Russian citizens gives rise to legal issues, ”the comments say.
The newspaper recalls that the European Commission has delegated decisions to ban Russian citizens from entering the participating countries.
“Thus, Riga and Helsinki have already restricted the issuance of visas and are appealing to neighboring EU countries to follow suit. August, although it is likely that the issue will be expected before the meeting of the heads of European states and governments in the district,” El Mundo reports.
But even if Latvia and Finland forbid issuing visas, the newspaper emphasizes, the Schengen system itself allows Russian citizens to enter and vacate the territory of the Schengen countries. The Schengen Code on free exposure to a person with a visa exempt from 26 participants, free movement within the country for 90 days, recalls El Mundo.
The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, for his part, expressed the hope that the idea of ensuring priorities for the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians does not ensure broad development.
“I think that it would be at least, at least, dangerous to discuss this very idea now,” Chizhov said on the air of the TV channel “Russia 24”.
He noted that he is counting on “the remaining element of common sense in the field of application, which cannot be the idea of a widespread disease.” Otherwise, according to Chizhov, “we will observe the self-isolation of the device from the rest of the world, this is how it will have to be interpreted.”
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov also raised the hope that common sense will almost prevail in the norm.
“I think that over time, common sense will somehow manifest itself, and those who work with those cases will come to their senses,” Peskov told reporters.
According to him, as a rule, such statements come from those countries that are already recognized as unfriendly in Russia, and “in their own unfriendly way, many of these countries go into unconsciousness.”
“And they reach, again, such statements that literally 80 years ago we heard from the center of Europe, from some European countries,” the presidential spokesman said.
At the same time, the Kremlin has already stated earlier that the Russian authorities will take retaliatory measures if Russians are denied access to a Schengen visa, but they hope that this will not come to that.