Politicians from the conservative opposition CDU/CSU (Christian Democrat and Social Christian Unions) bloc have called for a ban on the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens in response to the continuing large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. “It is necessary to stop issuing holiday visas to Russians,” said Andrea Lindholz, vice president of the CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag, in an interview with the Bild newspaper published on Monday, August 22.

According to her, in the context of the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine, “a clear signal must be given to the Russian population”. The German government has no right “again to oppose its European partners,” Lindholz emphasized.

“War is not just Putin”

In turn, German MEP, member of the CDU Dennis Radtke (Dennis Radtke) in an interview with Bild, stressed that the aggression against Ukraine is not just a war by Russian President Vladimir Putin, contrary to the assertion of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “It is unacceptable for Russians to vacation in Europe and squander money as if nothing had happened,” he said.

According to Radtke, there is a danger that Germany and Europe as a whole will stop tightening sanctions against the Russian Federation and supplying Ukraine with weapons. He supported demands from Finland, Estonia and several other European countries to toughen their course towards Russia. “Whoever wants to stop Putin should not ease the pressure, but increase it by introducing a ban on tourist visas for Russian citizens,” emphasized Dennis Radtke.

The ruling coalition refuses to deprive Russians of Schengen visas

Meanwhile, the ruling coalition supports the position of the German chancellor, who refuses to ban the issuance of tourist visas to Russians. Union 90/Greens co-president Omid Nouripour said on Aug. 20 that he understands the feelings of those who, amid Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine, wish to deprive Russian citizens of EU tourist travel. The Russians approve of the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nuripur stressed that it is necessary, of course, “to make it clear that this will not work”, but at the same time noted that “in the fight against such dictatorships, it is the implementation of legal norms in the countries of the European Union very, very useful.” Instead of blocking all Russians from entering the EU, we must be more active in ensuring that those who actively support Putin cannot travel to the EU.

In Europe, more and more countries unilaterally restrict Russians’ freedom of movement and the issuance of Schengen visas for them. Such measures have already been taken by Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Finland plans to follow them in September, and Poland is considering that possibility. Denmark insists on a pan-European decision on visas for Russians, warning that if not, it will also act alone.