The EU Tightens Visa Rules for Russia: Preventing "Migration as a Weapon"
The European Union recently announced stricter visa policies for Russian citizens to address risks such as Russia's "weaponization of migration," sabotage activities within Europe, and misuse of visas.
According to the latest regulations published by the European Commission, Russian citizens will no longer be able to obtain multiple-entry visas. Anyone planning to travel to the EU must reapply for a new visa each time. The European Commission stated that this measure aims to strengthen public order and security, enabling member states to conduct more thorough and frequent reviews of visa applicants, thereby reducing potential security threats.
The Schengen Area currently includes 25 countries among the 27 EU members, as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. After the new rules take effect, only a few people will be exempt, including Russian dissidents, independent journalists, human rights defenders, direct family members of Russian citizens residing in the EU, or family members of EU citizens living in Russia. The European Commission emphasized that these exceptions are limited to "individuals whose reliability and integrity are beyond doubt."
Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on social media platform X that it is "hard to believe" that Russia, while waging war, still hopes its citizens can freely travel to Europe. She pointed out that Europe is facing unprecedented drone interference and sabotage incidents, stating that "traveling to the EU and moving freely within it is a privilege, not an inherent right."
Russia responded strongly to the EU's decision. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, sarcastically remarked that the EU seems to think, "since Western Europe already has illegal immigrants relying on welfare and Ukrainian draft dodgers, what use are there for paying tourists?"
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU has suspended the "visa facilitation agreement" with Russia and lowered the priority of Russian citizens' visa applications, making the visa process more time-consuming. Data shows that the number of visas issued to Russian citizens has dropped from over 4 million in 2019 to about 500,000 in 2023.
The EU's new measures further increase the difficulty for Russian citizens to obtain visas, but have not yet been completely banned. At the same time, the European Commission also urged Serbia to stop granting citizenship to Russians this week, citing the reason that this makes it easier for them to enter Europe and "poses a potential security risk to the EU."
EU officials emphasized that this policy adjustment is not targeting ordinary people, but rather a comprehensive consideration of public safety and geopolitical risks.
Source: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848507955073226/
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