Prague is still strengthening towards the Russians • RESPECT
When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February, the Czechia quickly took a hard line against Moscow, including the end of issuing Schengen visas to Russians. Now the government of Petr Fiala has announced that Russians who have been issued Schengen visas for the purpose of tourism, sports and culture in other countries of the European Union will also receive a red card from October 25. They could still go to the Czech Republic.
“Tourist, cultural and sporting because there is no reason for people from Russia to come here for these purposes during the period of ongoing aggression. At the same time, most citizens of the Russian Federation have recently come from countries outside the Schengen area on these visas,” Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Smolek tells Respekt.
It is an initiative of the head of diplomacy, Jan Lipavský, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, Vít Rakušan. “While in Ukraine, Russian rockets are falling on children’s playgrounds and on people who are simply going to work, up to 200 citizens of the Russian Federation travel to the Czech Republic via the international airport every day. That’s why we agreed that entry will be denied to those Russian citizens who arrive on Czech territory via the external Schengen borders, i.e. via our international airport,” said the foreign minister.
Thus, Prague joined Poland, Finland and the Baltic states in the restriction. Russians with Schengen visas issued for trade, health and several other reasons will continue to be able to enter the Czech Republic. Together, these are fractional numbers of passengers so far. The government will also allow critics of the Russian president to be admitted.
The number of Russians leaving the country has increased after the mobilization announced by Putin, which they want to avoid. There are different views on their reception in Europe. The Germans want to allow them, the Baltics don’t. “Men who flee Russia because they fear they will receive a mobilization call-up order do not fall under the definition of refugees. This is by no means comparable to Ukrainians,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas recently told Respekt. In addition, there is a large Russian minority in Estonia, and the government there is afraid that Russia will take advantage of this.
“Some countries in Europe say they welcome those leaving Russia. I don’t share it. They want to go to small countries where there are already Russian minorities, such as Estonia or Latvia. But what kind of men are they? They did not protest against the war, before the mobilization we also saw videos where they attacked and attacked Ukrainians. They will flock here and with the next imperialist step of Russia, they will invade us Now under various pretexts, just as they have done so far in various places elsewhere. They will say that they are going to save them, to liberate and with them this country. So for us it’s an existential threat. Putin, with the support of the Russians, is living his imperialist dreams, trying to expand the territory of Russia in every possible way. And these people will be used as a tool for that,” argues Kallas.
At the same time, when the Czech government hardened against it, it chose instead to be more accommodating towards Ukrainian and Belarusian students. Until now, mostly only Belarusian citizens who already had family here could travel to the Czech Republic. Now Belarusian students can also come here, who will be educated here on the basis of an international scholarship. “We want to provide quality European education to those who are persecuted for political reasons and to those who are determined to change the current undemocratic conditions in their country,” said Minister Lipavský.