Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania want to restrict access not only from Russia, but also from Belarus. The foreign ministers of the three countries agreed on this on Wednesday.
In particular, Russians from Russia or Belarus would no longer be allowed to enter the three Baltic EU and NATO countries with a Schengen visa. It does not matter which EU country issued the document. As reported, there should be exceptions for humanitarian and family reasons, as well as for certain professions such as diplomats.
So far solo
The new restrictions are to be introduced at the same time and will soon be enacted by governments at the national level. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have already largely suspended the issuance of visas and residence permits to Russians. So far, though, it’s still only doing it in the EU, although other countries are in favor of a fundamental ban on Schengen tourist visas.
“What we have seen in recent weeks and months is that the number of border crossings by Russian citizens with Schengen visas has increased dramatically,” Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on Wednesday after meeting his male and female colleagues. In view of the war in Ukraine, this became a matter of public security as well as a moral and political issue.
State of Emergency in Lithuania
The government of Lithuania has now announced that it plans to extend the imposed state of emergency until December 16. However, the special arrangement should no longer apply nationally, but only in the border area with Russia and Belarus and at other border control posts, such as airports and train stations.
In order to actually extend it, Parliament has to agree to it. Certain emergency measures are linked to the state of emergency. According to Lithuanian media reports, the entry restrictions should become part of this.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
