Land border crossing restrictions in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland will come into effect on the evening of September 19.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland decided to close entry for Russians with tourist Schengen visas. These countries advocated a complete ban on entry into the European Union, a decision that was not supported by other countries. Instead, the European Union decided to suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. Correspondent.net telling the details.
It is unacceptable while people are being killed in Ukraine
From September 19, Estonia will ban Russians with tourist Schengen visas from entering the country, regardless of the issuing country, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said on Thursday, September 8. Latvia, Lithuania and Poland will also join the prohibition
The ban will not apply to those who go to visit relatives, and also want to enter for humanitarian reasons.
“Estonia has a political will, which we implement in the legal field. On the night of September 18-19, the ban on entry into Estonia through the external Schengen border for citizens of the Russian Federation will begin to operate, regardless the country issued the Schengen visa,” TV channel Reinsalu ERR quoted.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas named security issues as one of the reasons for this decision, because in addition to a full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia is also conducting a hybrid war.
At a press conference, the prime minister referred to research data, according to which more than 70 percent of Russians support the war in Ukraine. “Travelling to the European Union is not a right of the people, but a privilege,” he reiterated.
Speaking about the decision, the Prime Minister of Estonia noted that after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers last week, where they agreed to suspend the simplified visa regime in Russia instead of introducing a complete ban on the entry of all citizens of the Russian Federation, the European Commission recognized the right of border countries to accept restrictions at the national level.
At the same time, Kallas added that Estonia and other countries in neighboring Russia will continue to look for a common approach to visa issues at the EU level.
“It is unacceptable that while people in Ukraine are being tortured and killed, citizens of the aggressor state of Russia can travel freely within the EU,” Reuters quoted the Polish government as saying.
Earlier, the initiative of the Baltic States, with the exception of Poland, will be joined by Finland, where the majority of Russians entered the EU. The ERR interlocutor suggested that Finland join later, when, after the closure of the borders of the four countries, the number of Russian citizens traveling here will increase even more.
Most of the European press supports the visa ban. Therefore, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung criticizes Western Europe for their position and calls to listen to Eastern Europeans.
“Germany and France still believe that other people can be influenced pedagogically, while Eastern Europeans continue to rely on pressure. In fact, it is highly doubtful that a holiday trip to the EU can provide way to the “hearts and minds” of the Russians, – It is believed [министры иностранных дел] Burbock and Column. Didn’t Berlin promise to listen more carefully to partners from Eastern Europe in the future?” the newspaper wrote.
The Danish newspaper Jydske Vestkysten also calls on their country’s authorities not to issue visas to Russians in the future.
“The belief that a democratic world can serve as an ‘inspiration’ is an illusion. There is no sign that there is any serious objection in Russia to the horrors happening in Ukraine. On the contrary, the majority of Russians, such as Germans during World War II seemed to believe they were fighting for a just cause,” the author wrote.
At the same time, the position in the United States is very different. John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the US National Security Council, said over the weekend that Washington was against the EU’s decision on Russian visas.
“We have introduced visa restrictions for Russian individuals. We believe that this is a tool that helps to hold Putin accountable for what he is doing in Ukraine. And in particular to hold accountable members of his oligarchy, supporters of regime, which is involved in the war in Ukraine But we do not believe that holding all Russians accountable for Putin’s actions is a productive proposition. [визовый вопрос] should not be turned into a war on the entire Russian people,” Kirby said.
According to a White House spokesman, “the President of Russia and his entourage are fomenting an unjustified war in Ukraine. And the Russians themselves should not suffer as a result.”
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.