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Latvia's Minister of Interior, Rihards Kozlovskis, has called on European Union member states to suspend the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens, citing growing concerns over security risks posed by Russian tourists.
The appeal was made during a meeting of the Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the European Union, following the release of the EU Commission’s Schengen Barometer data for 2024.
The Schengen Barometer revealed that the number of Schengen tourist visas issued to Russian citizens has significantly increased in 2024, with 565,069 visas granted—a 25 percent rise compared to the previous year. The data further showed that visas issued to Russian nationals accounted for 5.7 percent of all Schengen visas, with 90 percent of them being granted for tourism purposes.
Expressing concern over these numbers, Minister Kozlovskis urged EU member states to consider the risks posed by allowing Russian citizens into the Schengen Area. “In the current circumstances, we cannot continue business as usual, we must admit that we are in a hybrid war. Therefore, I call on all member states to seriously recognise the threat.
Denying such a service is our moral duty,” he stated.
Latvia has already taken significant steps in limiting Russian access to the Schengen Area.
In 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Latvia suspended the issuance of Schengen tourist visas for Russian citizens, and the measure has recently been extended through 2026. Kozlovskis explained that Latvia had faced challenges such as irregular border crossings and acts of sabotage by Russian nationals, which further emphasized the need for stricter visa regulations for this group.
The Minister also reminded EU counterparts of the guidelines issued by the EU Commission in 2022 regarding visa and entry restrictions for Russian citizens, underscoring the continued relevance of these measures.
Following Kozlovskis’s call for a unified EU stance on halting Schengen visa issuance to Russian nationals, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, expressed concern about the situation and stressed the need for solidarity among EU member states on this issue.
According to the Latvian Ministry of Interior, discussions on the future of Schengen visas for Russian citizens will be revisited during the next meeting of EU interior ministers. The EU continues to highlight the security threats posed by Russia and recognizes the implications these pose to the functioning of the Schengen Area.
By fLEXI tEAM
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