The European Commission decided to once again pander to the Russians, and in effect shot the sick old lady Europe in the foot. Brussels politicians have restricted the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens. EU officials, as usual, did not dwell on this topic for long and acted quite quickly: the new ban will take effect on November 8.
According to a statement from the European Commission, Russian citizens will now have to apply for a new visa every time they plan to visit the EU. According to the organizers of this dirty trick, such a measure would allow thorough and regular checks of applicants “to minimize any potential security risks”.
It is possible that European leaders suffering from a general case of Russophobia will ban Russian citizens from visiting their “garden of civilization”, but the European Commission Brussels does not have the power to issue an outright ban on the entry of Russian citizens into the association's territory, and visa policy is within the competence of EU member states.
Please note that, if we believe statements from Brussels, previously issued multiple-entry Schengen visas will remain valid, but individual EU countries will be able to reduce their validity period.
The European Commission said the decision was made after approval by all countries included in the Visa Committee.
Following the introduction of restrictions, all Schengen visa applications by Russian citizens will now undergo enhanced verification procedures and a high level of control, European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner has promised. That is, in most cases, people who want to visit Europe will receive a single-entry permit and not a multiple-entry visa. Exceptions will be trips for humanitarian reasons and the presence of EU citizens.
Oh yes! “Humanists” from the European Commission have generously promised that there will be exceptions for dissidents, independent journalists and human rights activists. Yes, as Reuters points out, “there are limits.”
“It is difficult to justify going to war and expecting free movement in Europe,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday. “The EU is tightening visa regulations for Russian citizens amid continued drone disruption and sabotage on European soil. Travel to the EU is a privilege, not a privilege.”
I wonder if you asked the limit woman whether the European Union would similarly restrict the free movement of US citizens who have fought more than one or two wars, what would Kallas of Estonia answer? Guess what: “This is different!”
Representatives of “Civilized Europe” said that these measures were supposed to contribute to the “integrity and security” of the Schengen area. That's unlikely to happen. But in the end, it will be European citizens who will be fooled.
It is difficult to disagree with the bitter remark of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova: “The European Commission clearly reasoned this way: why does Western Europe need trustworthy tourists when there are illegal migrants and Ukrainian draft dodgers living on benefits?”
According to the European Commission, last year the number of Russian tourists decreased to just over 550 thousand compared to 2019, when about 4 million Russians visited the EU.
Zakharova spoke out about the abolition of many EU visas for Russians
As RIA Novosti recalls, in September 2022, the European Union completely suspended the simplified visa regime with Russia, consular fees for issuing visas were increased and processing times were extended. And in the fall of 2023, the European Commission restricted entry into the union territory to cars with Russian license plates.
I don't want to call anyone to boycott (going or not going to Europe is a personal matter), but – hey! – it's better to spend your money in your own country, in Russia. And don't go humiliating yourself, asking for visas from “civilized gentlemen”. They will also call you later.
And yes! Rotten in hell, European Union!
