Flag of Finland. File photoHELSINKI, Sep 17The Finnish Foreign Ministry has not recommended the Finnish government to apply the Estonian restrictive visa practice to Russians with Schengen visas, according to a memo from the Finnish Foreign Ministry received by the public broadcaster YLE.From September 19, Finland will remain the only EU country with a land border with the Russian Federation, open to the entry of Russians with tourist Schengen visas. Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia agreed to jointly introduce travel restrictions for Russian citizens from September 19 and agreed on a common regional approach to the possibility of travel by Russian citizens. Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller said that Poland and the Baltic countries would not let Russian citizens into the Schengen zone even with visas issued by third countries. In August, the Finnish Cabinet asked the Foreign Ministry to evaluate the practice of restrictions on Russians in other countries bordering the Russian Federation. The Finnish Foreign Ministry considered the decisions taken by other countries to be contrary to the Schengen Code. «Estonia is trying to argue that Russian and Belarusian tourist visa holders pose a threat to public order, internal security and international relations — directly on the basis of their nationality. Such an interpretation of Estonia can be considered legally dubious,» the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a memo. prevent the entry of Russians holding Schengen visas without violating EU law. Discussions continue in Finland on further visa restrictions for Russians against the backdrop of a special military operation in Ukraine. Earlier, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, and Prime Minister Sanna Marin made their proposals on further tightening the issuance of visas to Russians. The authorities insist on a single EU decision to restrict the issuance of visas to Russians.
