Traveling to Europe will become more difficult and more expensive: simplified visa issuance is canceled

Expert: “Such a measure will also affect the internal contradictions of the European Union”

EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that EU member states have agreed on a complete suspension of visa facilitation with Russia. On the one hand, the Schengen visa remains available for Russian citizens, on the other hand, it will be more difficult to obtain it. But won’t such a decision turn out to be disastrous, first of all, for the European countries themselves?

This summer, the EU authorities are seriously concerned about the influx of Russian citizens to European countries. Borrell was outraged that after the start of the special operation, the Russians continue to spend holidays and come to the EU for shopping “as if nothing had happened.” According to the diplomat, “the influx of Russians poses a threat to the national security” of European states.

Borrell did not specify how citizens who come to Europe to relax and make simple trade transactions can threaten Europeans. During an informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU countries in Prague, despite the initial disagreement on some positions, a decision was made to limit the issuance of a Schengen visa, and now the simplified procedure for obtaining it, introduced for Russians in 2007, is cancelled.

The abolition of the simplified regime will result in a change in the very procedure for applying for a Schengen visa. The terms for obtaining a visa will increase to six months due to an increase in the processing time of applications. Documents applicants for a visa of EU member states will have to collect more. The application fee will more than double from 35 to 80 euros.

This decision turned out to be, in essence, the embodiment of the intentions of Borrell himself, who, although he advocated tougher anti-Russian sanctions, offered not to completely limit the issuance of visas.

Borrell’s position was also supported by representatives of some EU countries, since this is fraught with the loss of that part of the tourism income that Russian citizens bring to them. At the same time, a number of states neighboring Russia have promised to consider imposing additional restrictions on Russians at the national level.

“First of all, it must be said that the decision that was made is a compromise between the most extremist part of the European Union represented by Poland and the Baltic states and the more moderate position expressed, in particular, by the representatives of Germany,” he said in an interview with “ MK” Alexey Zudin, Senior Lecturer at MGIMO MFA of Russia, “Of course, these measures will create obstacles for Russian citizens to visit EU countries. These restrictions will work.”

According to the expert, these measures will harm those countries that were of particular interest to Russian tourists. “It was these countries that during the discussion most loudly declared their disagreement and unwillingness to make any significant restrictions. There were statements from Cyprus, from representatives of Greece. They are dependent on financial income from Russian tourists and will suffer the most.”

Such a measure will also affect the internal contradictions of the European Union. According to Zudin, there will be a devastating effect on European unity from restricting the access of Russian citizens, but still to a lesser extent than from restricting Russian energy resources. “A restrictive policy in this direction generates universal effects, since energy is the basis for the development of all industries and very many areas of life of people living in these countries. But nevertheless, the decision to abolish visa facilitation will make a certain contribution to deepening these contradictions in the EU.”