The prime ministers of Finland and Estonia called on the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians for trips to the EU due to Russiaʼs aggression against Ukraine.
The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, wrote on her Twitter that entering Europe is a privilege, not a human right. She noted that air traffic with Russia is closed, but while the Schengen countries issue visas, the burden is borne by Russiaʼs neighbors — Finland, Estonia and Latvia.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that Russians have no right to live a normal life in Europe as tourists while their country is waging a brutal war against Ukraine.
In Latvia, meanwhile, the National Unity party, which is part of the government coalition, has begun preparing amendments to the law "On Immigration", which provides legal grounds for not extending temporary residence permits to citizens of Russia and Belarus.
- On August 5, the Embassy of Latvia in Russia indefinitely suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation, but with some exceptions.
- The Czech government also decided not to issue visas and temporary residence permits to Russian and Belarusian citizens until the end of March 2023.