It’s in German, so here’s an automatic translation:
> Chancellor Scholz has so far expressed skepticism about entry restrictions for Russian tourists. Foreign Minister Baerbock wants to accommodate Russia’s direct neighbors in the EU.
>
> Copenhagen – In the debate about restricting Russia’s tourists entry into the EU, Germany’s Foreign Minister (Greens) has signaled a willingness to compromise. The Chancellor’s Office and the Foreign Office agree “that together in Europe we will find a solution that brings everyone’s justified concerns and issues together,” Baerbock said at a joint press conference with her Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod in Copenhagen.
>
> …
>
> Baerbock took the view that Scholz had never given a general rejection to entry restrictions for Russian tourists. “These absolutes, they were never actually voiced that way, not even by the German chancellor,” she said. “Especially when positions are exchanged via interviews, they are very truncated.”
>
> Baerbock said the visa issue is viewed from different angles. She pointed out that relatively few Russian tourists come to Germany, but at the same time visas continue to be issued to journalists or scientists who are at risk in Russia. The interests of Russia’s immediate neighbors are different, she said. He said that “a solution will be found that offers enough leeway nationally for the different situations.”
>
> Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod strongly advocated visa restrictions for Russian tourists. “It is a strong provocation for me that you see Russian men on beaches in southern Europe, while Ukrainian men have to stay in their country and fight for their own freedom,” he said. At the same time, Kofod stressed that Denmark would like to see a joint European solution. “That would send a strong signal to Putin and Russia that there are consequences for unlawfully and brutally invading a European country.” Together, he said, Europe can exert the most influence on Putin.
>
> Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
I kinda like Baerbock, too bad Greens are anti-nuclear.
I can’t believe that Germany is still on the fence with this. Get your finger out Olaf and locate your balls!
>probably not. The adoption of such a ban would have to be approved by the Council of the European Union with the unanimous support of the bloc’s 27 member states — and not all of them belong to the Schengen zone (Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, and Croatia are not part of the Schengen zone). It would also require coordination with Schengen zone countries that are not part of the EU (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Lichtenstein) At present, there isn’t widespread support for this idea, and the odds of a common consensus emerging in the near future appear to be slim.
I don’t really see how an EU-wide visa ban can be implemented, considering it will require the support of Hungary (extremely unlikely), Greece and Cyprus (highly unlikely, considering how many tourist and tourists + offshore companies they get form Russia respectively).
4 comments
It’s in German, so here’s an automatic translation:
> Chancellor Scholz has so far expressed skepticism about entry restrictions for Russian tourists. Foreign Minister Baerbock wants to accommodate Russia’s direct neighbors in the EU.
>
> Copenhagen – In the debate about restricting Russia’s tourists entry into the EU, Germany’s Foreign Minister (Greens) has signaled a willingness to compromise. The Chancellor’s Office and the Foreign Office agree “that together in Europe we will find a solution that brings everyone’s justified concerns and issues together,” Baerbock said at a joint press conference with her Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod in Copenhagen.
>
> …
>
> Baerbock took the view that Scholz had never given a general rejection to entry restrictions for Russian tourists. “These absolutes, they were never actually voiced that way, not even by the German chancellor,” she said. “Especially when positions are exchanged via interviews, they are very truncated.”
>
> Baerbock said the visa issue is viewed from different angles. She pointed out that relatively few Russian tourists come to Germany, but at the same time visas continue to be issued to journalists or scientists who are at risk in Russia. The interests of Russia’s immediate neighbors are different, she said. He said that “a solution will be found that offers enough leeway nationally for the different situations.”
>
> Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod strongly advocated visa restrictions for Russian tourists. “It is a strong provocation for me that you see Russian men on beaches in southern Europe, while Ukrainian men have to stay in their country and fight for their own freedom,” he said. At the same time, Kofod stressed that Denmark would like to see a joint European solution. “That would send a strong signal to Putin and Russia that there are consequences for unlawfully and brutally invading a European country.” Together, he said, Europe can exert the most influence on Putin.
>
> Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
I kinda like Baerbock, too bad Greens are anti-nuclear.
I can’t believe that Germany is still on the fence with this. Get your finger out Olaf and locate your balls!
[Can a Shengen visa ban be adopted at the EU level?](https://meduza.io/en/cards/will-the-european-union-impose-a-visa-ban-on-russian-tourists)
>probably not. The adoption of such a ban would have to be approved by the Council of the European Union with the unanimous support of the bloc’s 27 member states — and not all of them belong to the Schengen zone (Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, and Croatia are not part of the Schengen zone). It would also require coordination with Schengen zone countries that are not part of the EU (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Lichtenstein) At present, there isn’t widespread support for this idea, and the odds of a common consensus emerging in the near future appear to be slim.
I don’t really see how an EU-wide visa ban can be implemented, considering it will require the support of Hungary (extremely unlikely), Greece and Cyprus (highly unlikely, considering how many tourist and tourists + offshore companies they get form Russia respectively).