The EU is preparing new rules for member states to more strictly limit the issuance of visas to Russians after years of pressure from eastern neighbors. This is reported by UNN with reference to Politico.
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The new European Commission guidelines, to be published at the end of the year, envisage stricter criteria for issuing visas to Russians. Officials note that the document will not be binding on member states, but will only provide general guidelines.
In 2024, more than half a million Russians received Schengen visas, which is significantly less than the pre-war level in 2019, when more than 4 million were issued.
The European Commission also emphasizes security risks. In part, the new guidelines will focus on addressing new challenges related to security threats, while leaving national governments the right to make decisions.
Representatives of Russia's neighboring countries, such as Latvia and the Czech Republic, are actively lobbying for a unified EU approach to visa restrictions. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský noted that Russian diplomats abuse freedom of movement to organize subversive operations.
This is an unnecessary advantage that we give to the Russian regime, and it is being abused to facilitate subversive operations.
At the same time, representatives of the Russian opposition, including Yulia Navalnaya, call on the EU not to punish ordinary citizens, but to direct restrictions against oligarchs, security forces and regime propagandists.