>**Netherlands supports European ban on visas for Russian tourists**
>
>The Netherlands supports a proposal to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians throughout the European Union. Foreign Minister Hoekstra told RTL News that he will discuss this in the coming days in Prague with his EU colleagues.
>
>The banning of Russian tourists is a sensitive issue in the European Union. Some countries have already stopped issuing visas to Russian tourists since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, such as the Baltic States and the Czech Republic.
>
>Countries like Germany, France and Cyprus feel much less strongly about it, in part because it would make it harder for Russian dissidents to flee the regime. According to the European border agency Frontex, nearly 1 million Russians have come to the EU since the war began.
>
>Flying directly from Russia to EU countries is no longer possible incidentally because European airspace is closed to Russian aircraft. Most Russians enter the EU by land through the Baltic States.
>
>Hoekstra hopes for unity in Prague. That is necessary, because Russians who have a visa for an EU country can also visit all the other member states. This will only have an effect if all member states start banning Russian tourists.
>
>*Espionage*
>
>Incidentally, the Netherlands has not issued any tourist visas to Russians since April. This is because there is no staff to process the visa application, says a spokesman for the Ministry.
>
>The staff have been declared persona non grata by Moscow in retaliation for the Netherlands’ deportation of Russian diplomats allegedly engaged in espionage.
>
>*Spending money in the P.C. Hooftstraat*
>
>Hoekstra wants to hit only Russian tourists with the visa ban. Visas for students, family visits or refugees should continue to be issued.
>
>*”On the one hand, you want interpersonal contact and you also want to make a difference between the state of Russia and Russian citizens. At the same time, we see that by far the most people who come here come to spend money in the P.C. Hooftstraat. These are often rich Russians who are also regularly affiliated with the regime,”* he told RTL.
>
>NOS correspondent Kysia Hekster:
>
>*”Ukrainian President Zelensky sparked the discussion early this month. He asked the EU to close the borders to all Russians because of the war in his country. The Estonian Prime Minister took up his plea. “Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right,” she said.*
>
>*Several countries want a European approach. The Czech Republic and Finland, and now the Netherlands, want a stop to issuing tourist visas to Russians. But other countries, such as Germany and France think these proposals go much too far. They are afraid that this will actually isolate Russians who are against President Putin and the war.*
>
>*The Financial Times newspaper reported that a compromise is in the works. The EU would like to suspend a 2007 visa treaty with Russia. This would make it harder and more expensive for Russians who want to come to the EU to get a visa.*
>
>*Presumably we will hear tomorrow whether EU ministers manage to reach a common position on no longer issuing tourist visas to Russians.”*
4 comments
>**Netherlands supports European ban on visas for Russian tourists**
>
>The Netherlands supports a proposal to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians throughout the European Union. Foreign Minister Hoekstra told RTL News that he will discuss this in the coming days in Prague with his EU colleagues.
>
>The banning of Russian tourists is a sensitive issue in the European Union. Some countries have already stopped issuing visas to Russian tourists since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, such as the Baltic States and the Czech Republic.
>
>Countries like Germany, France and Cyprus feel much less strongly about it, in part because it would make it harder for Russian dissidents to flee the regime. According to the European border agency Frontex, nearly 1 million Russians have come to the EU since the war began.
>
>Flying directly from Russia to EU countries is no longer possible incidentally because European airspace is closed to Russian aircraft. Most Russians enter the EU by land through the Baltic States.
>
>Hoekstra hopes for unity in Prague. That is necessary, because Russians who have a visa for an EU country can also visit all the other member states. This will only have an effect if all member states start banning Russian tourists.
>
>*Espionage*
>
>Incidentally, the Netherlands has not issued any tourist visas to Russians since April. This is because there is no staff to process the visa application, says a spokesman for the Ministry.
>
>The staff have been declared persona non grata by Moscow in retaliation for the Netherlands’ deportation of Russian diplomats allegedly engaged in espionage.
>
>*Spending money in the P.C. Hooftstraat*
>
>Hoekstra wants to hit only Russian tourists with the visa ban. Visas for students, family visits or refugees should continue to be issued.
>
>*”On the one hand, you want interpersonal contact and you also want to make a difference between the state of Russia and Russian citizens. At the same time, we see that by far the most people who come here come to spend money in the P.C. Hooftstraat. These are often rich Russians who are also regularly affiliated with the regime,”* he told RTL.
>
>NOS correspondent Kysia Hekster:
>
>*”Ukrainian President Zelensky sparked the discussion early this month. He asked the EU to close the borders to all Russians because of the war in his country. The Estonian Prime Minister took up his plea. “Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right,” she said.*
>
>*Several countries want a European approach. The Czech Republic and Finland, and now the Netherlands, want a stop to issuing tourist visas to Russians. But other countries, such as Germany and France think these proposals go much too far. They are afraid that this will actually isolate Russians who are against President Putin and the war.*
>
>*The Financial Times newspaper reported that a compromise is in the works. The EU would like to suspend a 2007 visa treaty with Russia. This would make it harder and more expensive for Russians who want to come to the EU to get a visa.*
>
>*Presumably we will hear tomorrow whether EU ministers manage to reach a common position on no longer issuing tourist visas to Russians.”*
​
Translated with [www.DeepL.com/Translator](http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)
Good for them.
It’s ridiculous we haven’t already done this. It should’ve been day one of the occupation in Ukraine.
A bad day for Russian stoners. Canada and the US are immediately out of question. Now the Netherlands.
Your only travel options are domestic or Dubai, both of which result in heavy jail time.
Russians say the west is shit, ergo, they have no business here.