Soon you will no longer be able to enter the EU at the Baltic border with a Russian license plate on your car: all Baltic states have closed their borders to Russian-registered vehicles.
In accordance with European Commission guidelines on sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, no one will be allowed to cross the border with Estonia in a car with Russian license plates from 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, the Interior Ministry in Tallinn announced. Estonia follows Latvia and Lithuania, which already apply the regulation.
Russian cars are still allowed to leave the country
Cars with Russian license plates must therefore turn around at the external borders of the three EU and NATO states. Otherwise, the vehicles could be seized, police said. Exceptions apply, among other things, to transit traffic between Russia and its Baltic Sea exclave Kaliningrad and to vehicles used by diplomatic and consular missions. Conversely, cars with Russian license plates are allowed to leave the Baltic states via the EU’s external border, provided they are used only as a means of transport.
The background is a clarification from the European Commission on September 8 on the implementation of the EU sanctions imposed on Russia. Accordingly, vehicles registered in Russia are no longer allowed to enter EU territory. It does not matter whether they are used privately or commercially.
“We cannot allow the citizens of an aggressive state to enjoy the benefits of freedom and democracy while Russia continues its genocide in Ukraine,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. The binding entry ban is correct and the restrictions have more impact if they are implemented together. In response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Baltic states, together with Poland, stopped entry for many people from the neighboring country almost a year ago.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
