Estonian Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets said the rules for the issue of Schengen visas do not give Estonia the right to deny entry to the country for people who were granted a visa by a different member state of the Schengen Area.
He believes this issue must be resolved on a European level, as reported by Estonian public media ERR.
Since Russia’s decision to lift border crossing restrictions previously put in place due to the spread of the coronavirus, the number of Russian citizens passing through Estonian-Russian border has increased considerably. However, Estonia has almost stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens. Visas are only issued in special cases.
Other European member states continue issuing visas to Russian citizens, and Estonia cannot annul visas issued by other countries and deny people entry to the country that way, said Läänemets.
«We share Schengen space, meaning that people holding other countries’ visas can come to Estonia and often use it as a transit country,» he mentioned.
Estonia cannot do anything on its own in this matter. ‘We could consider cutting Russian citizens who enter Estonia with another country’s Schengen visa off from the possibility of working. We can take those kinds of measures,’ said the minister.
Läänemets does not believe it would be a good idea for Estonia to completely close down the country’s border to Russia.
«The problem is that some people, including Estonian citizens, need to be able to cross the border. A certain level of commerce is also still taking place.»
The minister said the only way to restrict Russian tourism in Europe and Estonia is by imposing Europe-wide sanctions.
«Sanctions for Russia should be universal and consistent in Europe. If the Baltics and Poland remain the only ones, the effect [of sanctions} will be that much smaller,» said Läänemets.
Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu said he believes the whole of Europe should join travel restrictions against Russian citizens. Reinsalu said he has discussed this topic with his colleagues in Latvia and Finland, adding that the ministry prepares to present this issue to the EU.
On Monday, 25 June, Reinsalu told Estonian TV programme Ringvaade that the ministry is working on proposals to convince the EU to cease issuing visas to Russian citizens.
«The idea is for the European Union to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens under normal circumstances, as is the case in Estonia. There are humanitarian exceptions, for example, for Alexey Navalny’s allies, that are processed separately,» explained Reinsalu.
«But it is curious how masses of Russian tourists can cross the western border – through Finland, Latvia, Lithuania – and visit the Louvre during the summer school break, while children are being murdered in Ukraine. A morally helpless situation,» he added.
Reinsalu said Estonia should consider annulling already issued visas in certain cases of exception. Another option is considering certain border crossing restrictions.
The minister also said the EU had previously discussed the issue of visas to Russian citizens in March.
«I have mentioned this issue to the foreign ministers of Finland and Latvia, and we will definitely be consulting governments in the region to try and find support for the initiative,» he said.
«We need all countries on board. We will raise the issue again, and I am hopeful in terms of support. The situation is not what it was in spring.»