Denmark to Limit Visa Issuance for Russian Citizens

According to the local daily newspaper, Politiken, the Danish government wants to reduce the number of tourist visas granted to Russians following the situation in Ukraine, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports. 

The Danish Minister for Integration, Kore Dyubvad, pointed out that a joint-European solution is required for this issue. 

“What Estonia has proposed is reasonable. Create a pan-European response. It is clear that if there is only one country in Europe where Russians can enter, then in principle it is possible to enter the entire Schengen zone. That is why it needs to be done within the EU,” he said.

The Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kufud also noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call to the EU Member States to close the borders for Russian nationals could happen soon enough. 

He also said that his government is open to discussing with his European and North American homologues all sorts of proposals regarding sanctions on Russia. 

Following the discussions, Estonia became the first European country to ban Russian citizens with a Schengen visa from entering, with the decision becoming effective on August 18. At the same time, the limitation introduced by the government applies to Russian citizens whose Schengen visa was issued by Estonia and doesn’t apply to visas issued by other countries of the Schengen Agreement.

The Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, also pointed out that restrictions imposed on Russian nationals would have had more impact if those were approved at the community level. 

The discussions over banning Russian citizens from entering Schengen countries come after the Ukrainian President called on Western countries to apply the measure to Russians on August 8, saying Russians should ‘live in their own world until they change their philosophy”. 

The proposal to reduce the number of Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens was submitted for discussion in the EU two days later. 

However, the United Nations (UN) has objected to Estonia’s decision, saying the Estonian government is discriminating against Russian citizens, despite each country having the right to adopt its own policies on visas.

The Russian media has also recently revealed that the country is dealing with an increasing number of visa applications, as the rates have increased by 40 per cent in recent weeks. This was particularly felt after Estonian authorities put a halt on visa issuance for Russian nationals.