European Commission prepares tougher visa rules for Russians — Politico Europe

In Brussels, Belgium, the European Commission is preparing proposals to tighten visa rules for citizens of Russia, the aggressor state. They may be presented in January to strengthen the EU’s protection against hybrid threats, Politico Europe reports, citing EU officials.

A group of countries, including Poland, Sweden and Estonia, supported tightening the restrictions. They advocate a stricter approach to issuing visas to Russians, including former military personnel who fought in Ukraine.

Number of tourist visas

Last year, Russian citizens were issued about 478,000 tourist Schengen visas. A significant portion of them were multiple-entry visas, allowing holders to enter Schengen Area countries repeatedly without reapplying for documents.

Swedish Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer said that the current system has vulnerabilities that opponents of the EU could exploit. According to him, Sweden would like to see the European Commission’s initiative before January.

European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner also urged member states to reduce the number of visas issued to Russian citizens. He noted that after an initial reduction, the number of such visas stopped declining.

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According to Politico Europe, some countries also intend to raise the issue at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council and propose additional restrictions for Russian diplomats in the European Union.

Estonia’s proposal

Estonia proposes banning former servicemen of the Russian armed forces from entering the EU. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that there may be around 650,000 such former combatants and that the restrictions should be applied individually.

Tsahkna expressed concern that some of these people could arrive in Europe with the support of Russian intelligence services and pose a threat to the societies of EU countries. In his view, a common approach at the level of the entire European Union is necessary for the bloc’s security.

In June, ministers from nine EU countries, as well as Iceland and Norway, appealed to the European Commission to develop a more unified and coordinated approach to Russian visas. They stressed that different rules in Schengen Area states could weaken pressure on Russia.