The Estonian government has passed a decree prohibiting the granting of temporary residence permits or visas to Russian citizens for the purpose of studying in this country. This is stated in the Estonian Cabinet statement of Thursday 28 July.

In addition, citizens of Russia and Belarus will be able to obtain a short-term work permit only if the visa issued by Estonia is valid.

In the case of a residence permit granted by another EU member state, it will also be impossible for citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus to legally obtain short-term employment and therefore long-term visa application for the purpose of employment. short term is also excluded.

“Continued sanctions against Russia are necessary”

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu stressed that Moscow’s “unjustified war” against Kyiv not only blatantly violates Ukraine’s “territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence”, but also threatens the security of Estonia and the EU.

Reinsalu commented on the introduction of new restrictive measures: “Continuing sanctions against Russia is necessary to ensure relentless pressure on the country. If sanctions help to deter Russian aggression, it will positively affect our own security.”

Estonia is trying to rule out the possibility of circumventing the restrictions

Estonia’s foreign minister added that the amendment would eliminate scenarios where a short-stay Schengen visa is requested, for example, under the guise of tourism from another EU member state, in order to circumvent existing Estonian restrictions.

Earlier, on July 20, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia recognized the activities of the Open Estonia Foundation as undesirable in the Russian Federation. The department considered that the organization’s work represents a “threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation”.

In June, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, in the context of the war in Ukraine, asked NATO to send divisions of 20,000 to 25,000 alliance soldiers to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.