HELSINKI: Finland’s Foreign Minister on Thursday presented a plan for limiting tourist visas issued to Russians, after increasing tourism from its eastern neighbour spurred discontent due to the war in Ukraine.
As flights from Russia to the EU have been halted, Finland has become a transit country for many Russians seeking to travel further into Europe. "Many saw this as a circumvention of the sanctions regime," Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told AFP.
Finland is seeking Nato membership after political and popular support for the alliance soared following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, but the Nordic country remains Russia’s only EU neighbour without restrictions on tourist visas to Russian citizens.
Although the Schengen regime and Finnish law do not allow for a outright ban on visas based on nationality, Finland can reduce visa numbers issued based on category, Haavisto noted. "Tourism category can be restricted in the terms of how many visas can be applied for in a day," Haavisto said.
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