Finnish customs allowed cars from Russia with diplomatic license plates to enter

Vehicles with diplomatic license plates, citizens of the European Union and members of their families, as well as asylum seekers can enter Finland, Finnish customs officials said. writes RBC.

“Travelers are allowed to take personal items they use with them, despite the sanctions,” the office added. In addition, you can enter the country by bus.

On September 8, the European Commission published an explanation on the import of Russian vehicles into the EU. Russian transport, regardless of whether it is used for private or commercial purposes, may be seized. In addition to vehicles, Russian citizens are prohibited from temporarily bringing with them things the import of which from Russia is prohibited to EU countries. The list of restrictions includes laptops, smartphones, cosmetics, etc.

Later, EC representative Daniel Sheridan Ferry clarified that the commission gives instructions on the implementation of sanctions against Russia, decisions on the implementation of specific restrictions are made by states. EU countries should not prohibit Russians from importing personal items into the union that are not of high value and are not luxury items.

At the same time, in September, all Baltic countries closed the entry into the country of cars registered in Russia. The countries of Southern Europe, including Bulgaria and Greece, have not yet introduced such restrictions and have not explained their understanding of the EU sanctions, Nikita Gusev, a senior researcher at the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti.