Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to restrict border crossings for Russians with Schengen visas starting September 19
In a press conference, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that Estonia would close its border to Russian citizens with tourist visas, starting September 19.
According to Reinsalu, "the entry ban for Russian citizens will go into effect on September 19. This applies to Russians who have visas issued in Estonia, as well as visas issued in other EU countries."
Reinsalu noted that Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland would all be taking similar measures.
The ban will not apply to those who are trying to visit relatives or those who want to enter for humanitarian reasons.
Poland and the Baltic states advocated a complete ban on entry into the EU for Russian tourists, but the decision was not supported by everyone. Instead, the EU decided to suspend the agreement on simplified visas with Russia.
The Schengen Agreement guarantees free movement throughout the territory of its member states. However, each country has its own control over entry through the external borders of the EU.
Finland, which also shares a border with Russia, did not join the ban. The country's authorities expressed the opinion that such decisions should be taken at the EU level. At the same time, Finland has significantly reduced the number of visas it issues to Russians.
