Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Army Commander from War Operations Room: Every time the United States commits a crime, it receives a decisive response, which will happen this time as well
Spain's foreign minister: I will ask EU to approve immediate suspension of trade agreement with 'Israel'
Spain's foreign minister: I will ask EU foreign minister today to say no towar and yes to diplomacy
The potential blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran will not spare the US, triggering a "global oil shock", CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)
DPRK strongly condemnded the US strikes on Iran
Iran: Fars News Agency: A woman and her 6-year-old son were killed in an Israeli drone attack on Kermanshah Province
Iran: IRNA: Attack Wave 21 was not carried out, and the operation carried out minutes ago was from Yemen against targets in the occupied territories
Sirens are sounding in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas
Israeli military command: We identified missiles launched from Iran
Tunis: The legitimacy created by World War II is crumbling and the future belongs to free peoples of the world

Finland to ban Russian tourists due to “a moral and ethical principle"

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Sep 2022 09:02
  • 6 Shares
4 Min Read

Finland wants to cease being a “transit country” for Russians with visas issued by other EU members in another showcase of Russophobic policies.

  • x
  • Finland to bar entry to all Russian tourists
    Foreign Minister of Finland Pekka Haavisto

Helsinki is “working” on new rules that would further harden the rules on Russian tourists, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told journalists Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“Finland does not want to be a transit country, not even for [holders of] Schengen visas issued by other nations,” Haavisto said, adding that Finland looks for bringing the Russian tourist traffic “under control.”

The Finnish foreign ministry is currently seeking a “solution” with a group of experts to help the country “limit this traffic or completely stop it,” the foreign minister said.

Pekka added that the measures might include some new regulations or amendments to those existing. The national parliament “will quickly deal with it,” Haavisto said, without providing a specific date for the possible changes.

Russians who travel to the EU, Haavisto added, are not considered by Finland as a security threat, unlike the Baltic States, which restricted access for Russian citizens holding EU visas by September 19 to deal with "public policy and security threats."

"An ordinary person traveling for the purpose of tourism is not a security threat,” the minister said, adding that there is “a moral and ethical principle involved": Russians cannot just keep spending their vacations in Europe when their country is “waging a war,” Haavisto argued.

Related News

Ex-PM, diplomat DJ lead race for Finland presidency

Finland to join NATO Tuesday: Stoltenberg

A mechanism denying visas to Russians and rejecting entry to Russians who have them is already in place in Finland. Helsinki also asked Brussels earlier to allow EU states that deny entry to Russians to revoke their visas or place them on a Schengen entry ban list too. This would prevent Russians from entering the bloc through another member’s territory, as per Finland.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously relayed his hope that conflicts surrounding the EU's suspension of visa processing for Russian citizens will soon be resolved, stating that such measures do not amount to a good idea, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Earlier this month, the European Council announced that it has fully suspended visa facilitation between the EU and Russia, thus reversing the agreement that served to simplify visa applications for Russian citizens. 

Some member states also stopped issuing tourist and business visas, while the three Baltic states and Poland announced they would deny entry to all Russian citizens, even those with valid Schengen visas issued by other EU members.

In early August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mused that the Russians should “live in their own world until they change their philosophy,” and urged the West to refuse entry to Russian tourists. Moscow has condemned the new legislation as "flagrant nationalism" and "xenophobia." The Kremlin also expressed hope that "common sense" will win in the long run.

At the end of August, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko asserted that the decision of the EU to suspend the facilitated visa regime with Russia will not remain without consequences, Moscow can respond with both symmetrical and asymmetric measures, which are not expected in Brussels; if they decide to “shoot themselves in the foot” once again, then this is their choice, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.

It is also worth noting that the EU will lose around €21 billion ($20.97 billion) if it bars Russian tourists from entering the bloc, according to State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who commented on what he called “the frenzy of proposals to ban our citizens from entering the EU continues.”

  • Finland
  • United Nations
  • Helsinki
  • Pekka Haavisto
  • Russia
  • European Union
  • Russian tourist visa
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, speaks with then-Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 (AP)
Politics

Iran holds the initiative after nuclear strikes, Shamkhani says

Blood stains a religious painting inside Mar Elias Church, where a suicide bomber detonated himself in al-Dwela, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN, regional governments condemn Damascus church bombing

A B-2 bomber arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base Missouri, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after returning from a massive strike on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday (AP)
Politics

Israeli media: US-Israeli strike on Iran failed to end war

China UN Ambassador Fu Cong addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Politics

China slam US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS