Finland to further restrict tourist visas for Russian citizens
(VOVWORLD) -Beginning September, Finland will accept only about 100 applications per week for tourist visas for Russian citizens per week, only on Mondays, and only in four cities: St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Murmansk, and Moscow.
 Passengers wear masks to prevent the COVID-19 at Helsinki airport, Finland, June 21, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
Finland's Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto, said that the decision was made because Finland does not want to become a transit country for Russian citizens accessing the rest of Europe.
EU countries are divided on the issue. Finland is among those that have called on the EU to tighten up its tourist visa policy. However, certain other EU governments have been reluctant to back such a measure. The European Commission expected the proposed visa ban to also raise legal issues.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the visa ban was not an appropriate decision under the current circumstances. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn also expressed caution that there should be no new "Iron Curtain" in Europe, while Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said: "The EU must not make a sweeping judgement on 140 million people in Russia".