12:41 - 19.09.2022

---

September 19, Fineko/abc.az. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland are closing entry from Monday for Russian citizens with tourist visas, including Schengen visas issued by third countries.

ABC.AZ reports that the statement of four countries’ prime ministers has been released.

"Together with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, we decided to jointly limit tourism opportunities for Russian citizens in order to protect public order and security. Now it is impossible to guarantee that Russian tourists arriving through Estonia to the EU do not entail a security risk," the PMs of the four countries said in a statement.

The PMs noted that trips to the EU are "a privilege that is not a human right". "A regional agreement has been reached, now we’ll continue to work to ensure that the ban on tourism for Russian citizens begins to take effect throughout the EU," the statement says.

The restriction does not apply to all Russians. Russians can cross the border to visit family members living in the Schengen area or a person with whom they are raising common minor children. The exception will be valid for diplomats, Russian citizens who have been issued a short-term visa and who are registered for work, for holders of a short-term study visa, as well as for workers in the field of international goods and passenger transportation. As an exception, people will also be allowed into the country for humanitarian reasons, including dissidents.