Finnish PM: Europe should stop issuing tourist visas to Russians

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has urged European countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians.

Source: Orpo in an interview with Yle, a Finnish public service media company; European Pravda

Details: Orpo said the measure is intended to bolster European security and counter the threat posed by Russia.

"One of the concrete measures I will propose at next week's European Council meeting is that Europe stop issuing tourist visas to Russians," Orpo said.

"We fear that Russia is trying to carry out sabotage activities on European territory. Why, in heaven's name, are we letting them into European territory as tourists, where they can move around freely?" he asked.

Background:

• EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated in September that EU member states could tighten control over the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen area, ban the issuance of visas to former Russian combatants and reduce the number of tourist visas for Russians.
• The EU has been discussing restricting visa issuance to those who have fought in Ukraine on Russia's side since the summer. The EU included a mechanism to ban visas for Russian military personnel in its 21st sanctions package, but the ban itself has not yet come into force.

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