Reasons why the European Union should not shut its doors to all Russians.
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| [EU visa ban on Russians] |
Ten years ago, discussions on doing away with the necessity to get a visa were undertaken between the European Union and Russia. A year ago, there was discussion of exempting young people under the age of 25 and students from Russia from the need to get an EU visa. The crucial juncture has finally arrived. As a direct reaction to Russia's continued horrific campaign of aggression against Ukraine, some nations within the EU have begun implementing severe new immigration restrictions for Russian nationals. With a few notable exceptions, the issuance of visas to citizens of Russia was halted by a number of nations, including Latvia and Estonia. It is easy to comprehend both the rational and the sentimental underpinnings of this position. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that this response may target the "wrong" individuals and make things worse by throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
In the Russian media landscape, the propaganda cliché known as the "European travel restriction" is employed rather often. In point of fact, these are the initiatives of individual states, which are national in nature and are justified in their own unique ways. This is analogous to the delivery of arms to Ukraine, which is not carried out via NATO as an international alliance but rather at the discretion of the member states. The Baltic States are understandably concerned about their national safety given their proximity to the Russian Federation and the presence of sizable Russian communities inside their borders, some of whom have favorable views of Vladimir Putin. The elimination of exemptions for the issuance of tourist visas for short stays has been seen as a kind of political censure by Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Finland in relation to Russia. Following the removal of its ambassadors from the Russian capital, Bulgaria simply does not possess the ability to promptly process applications. As a direct consequence of the cessation of air traffic with Russia, EU border states are finding it difficult to accommodate the dramatic increase in the number of people traveling by land. As a result, these states want to cut back on the total number of people entering the EU and using their territory for transit.
On the other hand, the views of certain nations about the imposition of travel restrictions against Russia are rather varied. Russian travel agencies are telling their clients that the embassies of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece are the most convenient places to apply for a Schengen visa at the present time. Germany has made it quite clear that they do not agree with the prohibition on tourist visits from Russia. In actuality, Russian citizens may get Schengen visas for Germany without encountering any significant obstacles. Between March and July of 2022, the consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Moscow issued short-term visas to over 14,000 individuals, which is over twice as many as in the previous year (2021). Here in this region, political Europe is still fractured, so there is no reason to anticipate a widespread "travel restriction" for those holding Russian passports.
Moral concerns are often cited by those who advocate for severely restricting people of Russia's ability to travel. During the time when the Russian army was reducing the towns in Ukraine to ruins by bombing them, visitors from Russia were able to sunbathe on the beaches of the Costa Brava, go shopping in Milan, or enjoy the sites of Paris while they were unaffected by the conflict. Even citizens in the Russian Federation who are considered to be "simple" or "politically detached" should be affected by the conflict and be able to see that their nation is acting in an unjust manner. It's possible that this kind of "punishment" is appropriate given that ethics are involved. There is no way that Vladimir Putin is the only person responsible for the conflict in Ukraine. This is a war that many people are responsible for. A sizable portion of the Russian populace, if not all of it, approved of the assault and gave it their blessing or at the very least turned a blind eye to it.
On the other hand, they may believe that their preconceived notions about the "evil west" have been validated or that they are alone in holding these notions. Nevertheless, this merely plays into Putin's hands and strengthens his position. It has also been said that this would increase the amount of pressure placed on the administration of Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, the significance of the right to travel freely for Russians should not be exaggerated in any way. A very small percentage of people actually go on trips. According to the most recent available statistics, around 70 percent of the population in Russia does not own a passport. The most recent surveys indicate that 69 percent of Russians have never been outside of the country. Only 6% of those polled had gone outside of the country over the previous 5 years, and only 2% of respondents had done so within the previous year. The European Union was not among the most popular travel destinations, even with these relatively small groups.
Without a pan-European solution, which will probably not be reached before the meeting of EU foreign ministers on August 31, any restriction plan that is proposed by a European state would cause significant difficulties in terms of its actual execution. Because holders of a Schengen visa are permitted to roam freely across the Schengen region regardless of the country that issued the visa, the waiver of the granting of national and Schengen visas by a single member of the agreement is not functional and has only a symbolic authority. This has been established by Estonia earlier. A legally contentious universal revocation of this form of visa for a specific group would necessitate the implementation of passport controls inside the European Union, which would make such controls essential - for instance, in the case of the Czech Republic, at four distinct national borders. That would run counter to the fundamental premise of the Schengen Agreement and make it more difficult to traverse Europe's internal borders, which have largely become unnoticeable to travelers of various nationalities as a result of the Schengen Agreement.
The reality of the matter is that the community of values that exists in Europe cannot continue to function as if there were no war in Europe. This has repercussions for a variety of things, including passenger travel with Russia. Prior to the challenges brought on by the epidemic, applicants from Russia had, on average, a greater probability of being granted a visa to enter the European Union than the majority of other third-country citizens from across the globe. As part of the expedited process, travel businesses in Moscow supplied lengthy visitor lists to European consulates. These lists included visitors whose visa applications were often granted within a short period of time. At now, these circumstances are intolerable. It is imperative that the number of visas available for Russia be decreased, and that all applications be subjected to a comprehensive review. This is necessary in order to identify individuals who are anti-democratic in the destination country and who may pose a threat to the country's internal security.
In April of 2022, the Anti-Corruption Fund, which had been established by the imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny, made public a list containing more than 6,000 names. In addition to prominent figures who have been subject to sanctions for a long time, such as politicians, the military, secret service agents, and leading journalists from state media, it also includes a large number of people who are not on the radar in the EU. These prominent figures include politicians, the military, secret service agents, and leading journalists from state media.
These are the regional authorities and the unseen vice governors who are cracking down on dissidents and mobilizing the local populace. Athletes, scientists, and cultural figures who publicly support the war of aggression and thereby further poison the socio-political climate in Russia; Editors-in-chief of local newspapers and radio stations, as well as TV show hosts, who daily incite hatred against Ukraine and the "enemy" West; and executives of state-owned companies that made the war against Ukraine possible and still benefit from it.
Many of them do not face sanctions and are free to travel around the EU without being stopped. Some hold a permanent visa or even a permanent residency status in Europe. The "list" that Navalny's crew maintains is regularly updated, with the most recent change being in August of 2022. Those on the list are going to be investigated thoroughly in the major cities of Europe. Because it is still quite simple to get, the short-term Schengen visa is being used as an escape route by a number of individuals who are being persecuted in Russia. However, in many instances, advertised humanitarian admittance schemes are unable to ensure a fast departure for persons who have all of a sudden become the targets of widespread persecution.
The counterargument that the conflict has already lasted for five months and that anybody wishing to leave Russia may do so at their own will can only be accepted in part. At the moment, the Russian court system is completely arbitrary, and as a result, anybody who opposes the war or criticizes the administration might be targeted at any moment. The European humanitarian law guarantees for the equitable treatment of all individuals who are in need of protection. This includes those people who were able to put up with the autocratic rule for a time but only subsequently spoke out against it and are now being oppressed as a result of their actions. At this juncture, it is the endeavor itself that is significant. Without low-threshold offers for "evacuation" of those affected, as the politically motivated flight to the West is currently called in Russian vernacular, we have no moral right to close the door to Europe for all holders of Russian passports. This is because the word "evacuation" comes from the word "escape," which means "to flee."
The author Dr. Dmitri Stratievski is a political scientist and historian. He studied and received his doctorate at the Freie Universität Berlin.