Lithuanian Foreign Ministry called for a ban on the entry of Russians into the EU countries

Lithuania appreciates Estonia’s decision to ban Russians with Schengen visas from entering the country, but advocates the introduction of such measures at the EU level. About this with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania reported BNS agency.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said that the bodies empowered in the field of state security, issuing visas and border control “evaluate the decisions taken by Estonia and Latvia.” These measures are “essentially very similar to the restrictions currently in place in Lithuania,” the ministry said.

“Lithuania has consistently advocated sanctions against aggressive states and adheres to the position that restrictions work more effectively if they are applied at the EU level,” the ministry said.

On August 10, the official representative of the German government, Steffen Hebestreit, during a briefing, said that the EU began discussing the initiative of a number of countries of the union to ban the issuance of visas to Russian citizens. The next day, the Estonian authorities were the first in the EU to decide to ban Russians with Schengen visas, which were issued by the republic, from entering the country. The restriction will take effect next week. However, it does not apply to employees of diplomatic missions in the state, as well as to members of their families. In addition, the action will not apply to those who enter Estonia for humanitarian reasons, close relatives of citizens of the republic or holders of a permanent residence permit.

The decision does not yet apply to Russian citizens who received Schengen visas through third countries, but this issue is planned to be discussed next week, the Estonian Foreign Ministry reported.

The decision of the Estonian Foreign Ministry was preceded by a call by Prime Minister Kai Kallas to the rest of the EU countries to completely stop issuing Schengen tourist visas to Russians. In addition to Estonia, the authorities of Finland also made a similar appeal.

On August 11, the Saeima of Latvia recognized Russia as a sponsor of terrorism. The head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, Edgars Rinkevics, said that residents of Latvia who received Russian citizenship will have to leave country, as they will no longer be issued a residence permit. Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the Baltic countries suspended the issuance of tourist visas by August 11, while Slovenia imposed restrictions.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that he could hardly imagine stopping the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians. According to him, ordinary citizens of Russia are not responsible for the actions of the Russian authorities in Ukraine.