Poland Bans Russians From Entering

Poland has banned Russians from entering the country via land and will extend this ban to those travelling by air and sea, though diplomats, transport drivers, residence permit holders, and dissidents are exempt, the interior ministry decided on 20 September.

The ban was made possible through the amendment to the regulations concerning traffic restrictions at certain border crossings with Poland.

The regulation now targets Russians who have been banned from entering Poland from outside the EU via land and will extend the ban to airports and seaports from 26 September to allow carriers to adapt to the new law.

Rule Exemption

Among others, Russian diplomats, transport drivers and residence permit holders are exempt from the ban. Asylum seekers and opponents of President Vladimir Putin’s regime are also allowed to enter the country.

At the start of September, the prime ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia called on the other EU member states to take similar steps.

“Countries bordering Russia are increasingly concerned about the significant and growing influx of Russian citizens across our borders into the European Union and the Schengen area. We believe that this is becoming a serious threat to our public security and to the Schengen area as a whole,”

“Since the vast majority of Russians support Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, I think that decisions of this kind, restricting travel for Russian citizens with Schengen visas, are absolutely justified,” Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz told the Polish Press Agency on Monday.

On 9 September, the European Union decided to suspend the visa agreement between the Community and Russia. For Russians, it means significant difficulties in obtaining a tourist visa.

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