Since September 19, Poland and the Baltic countries have banned the entry of Russians with short-term Schengen visas. “Traveling to the European Union is a privilege, not a human right“, the four states said in a joint statement.
The prime ministers of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia also stressed that the countries bordering Russia are increasingly concerned regarding the increasing influx of Russians to the EU countries. “We believe that this is becoming a serious threat to our security,” the heads of government of the four countries say. “The maintenance of our border services by the security of Europe and ensuring that Russian citizens entering the Schengen area do not pose a threat to our common security and the stability of our society require a huge investment.”
“This is a necessary first step”
In their statement, the prime ministers of Poland and the Baltic states note that the vast majority of Russians support their country’s aggression once morest Ukraine. “It is unacceptable that at a time when people are being tortured and killed in Ukraine, the citizens of the aggressor country can travel freely within the EU. Most visas were issued to Russians before the full-scale Russian aggression once morest Ukraine, in other geopolitical conditions and under other circumstances,” he said. in a statement.
Mateusz Morawiecki, Ingrida Simonyte, Krisjanis Karins and Kaja Kallas expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the European Union has suspended the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. “This is a necessary first step, but follow-up measures are mandatory to radically reduce the number of visas issued, primarily tourist visas,” the heads of government said.
“These four countries have decided to go one step further than the last decision of the European Union, because it only concerned the abolition of visa facilitation, and we are talking regarding what is needed – and this is clearly stated in the statement – to reduce the very number of visas,” said Deputy Foreign Minister affairs of Poland Peter Vavzhik. According to him, it is necessary “to reduce the number of visas that are issued for tourism, scientific, educational or labor purposes.” “We are talking regarding the fact that it would be best not to issue such visas to Russians, and Poland has not issued such visas for many months,” Wawrzyk said.
Poland has not issued such visas for many months
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau noted that Russians who are sent to the EU for tourism, cultural, sports purposes or on a business trip will not be able to enter the territory of the four countries. However, the agreement with the Baltic partners provides for exceptions. “We are talking regarding humanitarian issues or situations concerning those Russian citizens who need to be protected because of their disagreement with the aggression once morest Ukraine,” the head of the Polish Foreign Ministry said. The restrictions will also not affect Russian diplomats.
At the same time, Zbigniew Rau stressed that each country has the right to refuse to issue Schengen visas to Russian citizens. Finland, which previously, together with Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, announced its intention to hold consultations on a possible tightening of the visa regime, so far adheres to a more moderate position. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto said that since September 1, Helsinki has limited the number of visas issued to Russians, but will stop doing this only following the decision of Brussels.
As the Polish radio station RMF notes on its website, in 2022, compared to 2021, the number of Russians who intended to legalize their stay in Poland increased by almost 100%. From January 1 to September 1, 6,909 Russian citizens submitted the relevant documents to the Polish authorities. Last year there were just over 3.5 thousand. This year, 2,960 applications from Russian citizens for a residence permit in Poland were considered positively, 949 Russians were denied, and more than half of the applications have not yet been considered.
“Each case must be considered in detail.“
In connection with the decisions taken, the Latvian authorities specify that the new regulation provides for a number of restrictions. They will not prevent the entry of politically persecuted persons and those who are affected by other humanitarian considerations, drivers and servants of freight and passenger transport traveling on official business, sailors, diplomats, and so on. In addition, persons with residence permits and long-term visas of the EU countries, the Schengen Agreement and Switzerland will still be able to enter Latvia. Family members of citizens of Latvia, the European Union, the Eurozone and Switzerland will still be able to cross the Latvian border: spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and dependents. The exception also applies to residents of the Kaliningrad region traveling home or from home under the simplified transit regime. You can visit a seriously ill relative or come to a funeral.
Diplomatic and consular representations of Latvia abroad already from February 25 stopped accepting applications for visas from Russian citizens, except for humanitarian ones. Former head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry Edgar Rinkevics reportedthat the ban, agreed upon by all three Baltic states, applies to land, air, and possibly maritime borders. The government decree will come into force on September 19 and will be valid until June 30, 2023. “In recent months and weeks, the number of border crossings by Russian citizens with Schengen visas has increased dramatically,” Edgar Rinkevics is quoted as saying by Archyde.com. “This is becoming a public safety issue and is already a moral and political issue.” When asked how effective these restrictions, which are not supported by other Schengen countries, will be, Rinkevics replied: “This is an important and quite effective step. Yes, the full effectiveness of restrictions can be achieved if everyone works together, but regional cooperation is also quite effective.”
To ban entry completely, in my opinion, is an inappropriate measure.
Not everyone supports the government’s decision. Director of the Institute of Economics of the Latvian Academy of Sciences Nina Linde told Radio Liberty: “This is a difficult issue for Latvia. We recently organized a round table with entrepreneurs, investors and drew attention to this ban. What baffles me most regarding the behavior of politicians, perhaps because I am from academia, is that they make decisions without at least a minimal analysis of how this will affect the economy, society, what effect it will give – if not long-term, but at least in the perspective of one year.
I believe that it is irrational to make decisions related only to geopolitical fears. Schengen visas need to be approached carefully and thoughtfully. Of course, there are certain risks, and the security of our country comes first. The fact that our closest neighbors are now fighting on the territory of Ukraine is a fact. Any person from Russia, Belarus who wants to come to us or to other European countries must be checked seven times. But banning entry completely, in my opinion, is an inappropriate measure. There are many people here who have relatives, real estate, businesses and may be fleeing the regimes in these countries. I know people who are looking for any opportunity to leave. Therefore, I would not forbid entry to all without exception. We need an individual approach, each case must be considered in detail.”
