Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are closing entry from Monday for Russian citizens with tourist visas, including Schengen visas issued by third countries.
“Together with Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, we decided to jointly limit tourism opportunities for Russian citizens in order to protect public order and security. Now, it is impossible to guarantee that Russian tourists arriving through Estonia to the EU do not entail a security risk,” the prime ministers of the four countries said in a statement.
The prime ministers noted that trips to the EU are “a privilege that is not a human right.”
“A regional agreement has been reached, now we will continue to work to ensure that the ban on tourism for Russian citizens begins to take effect throughout the European Union,” the statement said.
As for now, Russians can cross the border only to visit family members living in the Schengen area or a person with whom they are raising common minor children. The exception will be valid for diplomats, Russian citizens who have been issued a short-term visa and who are registered for work, for holders of a short-term study visa, as well as for workers in the field of international goods and passenger transportation.
It is noted that previously Russian citizens could visit Europe by land only through the Baltic States and Finland, and from Monday they will be able to do this only through Finland, which so far refused to support the Baltic States and Poland in this decision.
Ru-Main, 19.09.2022
Source: Interfax
