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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 10 august 2022

Estonia, Finland want Europe to end Russian tourist visas

including Latvia, which be restricted,” Marin told Estonian premier’s state-
made that decision this the Finnish broadcaster. ment, adding ominously: “I
month because of the war. Peskov on Tuesday said just want to remind her of
The visa issue is expected calls for travel bans are another saying: ‘The fact
be discussed at an infor- usually coming from coun- that you are free is not your
mal meeting of EU foreign tries that Moscow has al- merit, but our flaw.’”
ministers on Aug. 31, YLE ready deemed “hostile” Zelenskyy told The Wash-
reported. and “many of those coun- ington Post that “the most
“I would believe that in tries in their hostility sink into important sanctions are to
future European Coun- oblivion.” close the borders” for Rus-
cil meetings, this issue Putin’s close associate and sian travelers, “because
will come up even more deputy head of Russia’s the Russians are taking
strongly. My personal posi- Security Council, Dmitry away someone else’s
tion is that tourism should Medvedev, dismissed the land.”q
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin, left, speaks with Estonia’s
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas during a round table meeting at an
Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, on Dec. 15, 2021.
Associated Press

By JAN M. OLSEN Opposition-minded pub-
Associated Press lic figures condemned the
COPENHAGEN, Denmark comments in social media
(AP) — The leaders of Es- posts as fueling Moscow’s
tonia and Finland want anti-Western propaganda
fellow European countries and being unhelpful in
to stop issuing tourist visas stopping the war.
to Russian citizens, saying “I think that over time, com-
they should not be able to mon sense will somehow
take vacations in Europe manifest itself, and those
while the Russian govern- who made such state-
ment carries out a war in ments will come to their
Ukraine. senses,” Kremlin spokes-
Estonian Prime Minister man Dmitry Peskov said
Kaja Kallas wrote Tuesday Tuesday.
on Twitter that “visiting Eu- YLE reported last week
rope is a privilege, not a that Russian companies
human right” and that it is have started offering car
“time to end tourism from trips from St. Petersburg to
Russia now.” the airports of Helsinki and
A day earlier, her coun- Lappeenranta in Finland,
terpart in Finland, Sanna which have direct con-
Marin, told Finnish broad- nections to several places
caster YLE that “it is not in Europe. Russia’s second-
right that while Russia is largest city is about 300 ki-
waging an aggressive, lometers (186 miles) from
brutal war of aggression in the Finnish capital.
Europe, Russians can live Visas issued by Finland are
a normal life, travel in Eu- valid across most of Eu-
rope, be tourists.” rope’s travel zone, known
Ukrainian President Volody- as the “Schengen area”
myr Zelenskyy went further which is made up of 26
in a Washington Post inter- countries: 22 EU nations
view Monday, saying all plus Iceland, Liechten-
Western countries should stein, Norway and Swit-
ban Russian tourists. zerland. Normally, people
Estonia and Finland both and goods move freely
border Russia and are between these countries
members of the European without border checks.
Union, which banned air Nineteen other countries
travel from Russia after it outside this travel area al-
invaded Ukraine. But Rus- low in foreigners using a
sians can still travel by land Schengen visa. Passions on the Beach’s ‘I Still Do! Dinner menu
to both countries and ap- Finland just resumed ac- Passions on the Beach allows couples to enjoy a true toes-in-the-sand dining experience
parently are then taking cepting applications for along one of the world’s top-ranked beaches, Eagle Beach. From the calming sounds of
flights to other European tourist visas in Russia on July the ocean waves and live instrumentals to the soft light reflecting off the ocean as the
destinations. 1, lifting monthslong travel sun sets and the moon rises, dining at Passions on the Beach is truly an unparalleled and
The calls for a travel ban restrictions imposed during unforgettable experience. In connection with the 4th edition of the ‘I Do! Vow renewal on
have sparked outrage the COVID-19 pandemic. Thursday August 11th, couples are invited to indulge at Passions on the Beach afterwards for
within Russia, from both Some EU countries no lon- our most romantic night yet – complete with a special I Still Do! menu designed to celebrate
the Kremlin and its critics. ger issue visas to Russians, and ignite love. Here’s to forever after!