EU Council approves suspension of visa facilitation with Russia
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The Council of the European Union decided to completely suspend the visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Russia, reported on the Council website.
“The Visa Facilitation Agreement provides privileged access to the EU for citizens of reliable partners with whom we share common values…Russia has undermined that trust and trampled on the fundamental values of our international community. Today’s decision is a direct consequence of Russia’s actions and yet another proof of our unwavering commitment to Ukraine and its people,” Vit Rakusan, Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic currently chairing the Council, said in a statement.
The decision will be officially published on September 9 and will come into force on September 12.
Cancellation of the agreement means:
The visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Russia has been in force since June 1, 2007. The issue of restrictions on issuing Schengen visas to Russians was discussed at the meeting on August 31. Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia bordering on Russia demanded that the European Commission tighten its visa policy towards Russia. At the same time, a number of countries, including Germany and Hungary, did not support a complete ban on issuing visas to Russians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (WEF), said that Russia is not going to close itself from European citizens and businesses.
“We are interested in young people coming and studying with us, … so that businesses come here and work despite all the restrictions … Welcome, please, let them come and work,” he said then.
Russia will not introduce retaliatory visa restrictions against EU citizens, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said earlier.
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