Oslo 16th August : Finland has pushed for a ban on entry of Russian tourists visiting the European Union (EU) during the summit meeting with the other Nordic countries as well as Germany. “Russian citizens didn’t start the war however at the same time , we must recognize that they are in support of the war,” Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday repeating a request made a few days ago by Estonia.
“I do not believe it’s fair that Russian citizens are allowed to be admitted to into the EU and also the Schengen zone as tourists and visit the Schengen area even while Russia is killing its own citizens in Ukraine.”
Finland is a country that shares a border with Russia and is a member of the security alliance NATO after the Russian invasion of Ukraine It is currently contemplating ways to limit unilaterally visas for tourists to Russian citizens, according to the DPA news agency.
Prior to that this year, the Finnish Foreign Ministry had raised concerns that the country was being utilized as a transit destination by a few Russian tourists seeking to get into the EU before heading towards their destination in the EU.
Tourist visas in countries that form part of the so-called Schengen area which consists of 22 EU countries, as in addition to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein permit tourists to travel without restriction between the countries.
However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday again declared his opposition to the EU entry restriction for Russians and cited Russians who fled President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
“All the choices we take shouldn’t create more obstacles for them to find freedom and leave the country in order to escape the dictatorship in Russia,” he declared.”It isn’t the conflict of the Russian people, it’s Putin’s war.”
Denmark’s Premier Minister Mette Frederiksen said the idea should be discussed.
“It is natural that some Europeans and, perhaps, especially Ukrainians find it odd the fact that Russia has attacked an European country, and at the same time, we have tourists from a nation that has attacked another,” she said.
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said her government was still forming an opinion.
“There are arguments that can be argued from both sides of the argument,” she said.
Norway’s Premier Minister Jonas Gahr Store, whose country isn’t in the EU stated that Norway will support any joint effort.
In the meantime, Latvia, who also shared a border with Russia has already increased the requirements for visas.
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