Kommersant asked politicians, entrepreneurs, cultural and public figures how ready they are for problems with travel to the EU.
Victor Nabutov, general producer of the Silver Rain radio station, hotelier, IT entrepreneur:
Photo: Irina Bujor, Kommersant
– I position myself as a person of the world, I like to travel, plus I have business interests. For me, being able to move around Europe is an important part of life.
Trips to France, Italy, Finland, especially for me as a Leningrader, have become commonplace. This is the norm for a person who lives in a European country.
No matter what they say, Russia is part of Europe, and the vast majority of our compatriots live in the European part. To return behind the Iron Curtain, to reset 30 years of development is a great tragedy for me.
Georgy Cherdantsev, sports commentator, TV presenter:
Photo: Emin Jafarov, Kommersant
– I have traveled almost the whole world, been on all continents except Australia. And this freedom to decide when and where I want to go is one of the main values that I have. Any restriction of human freedom under any circumstances is a big problem.
It is outrageous to say that traveling abroad is a privilege. In the USSR, this was a privilege, but now for a modern person, travel is the norm.
Yuri Barzykin, Vice President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry:
Photo: Dmitry Korotaev, Kommersant
– Before the time to bury the “European dream”, who still has it, is probably not worth it. Even the most ardent opponents leave a humanitarian corridor for those who have forgotten that Crimea is ours, and for kindred exchanges.
My relatives and I do not connect holidays with European destinations at the moment. And in the tourist industry now more than 60% is Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt. About 50% of tours remain in Europe even from last year, when there were covid restrictions.
But nevertheless, this direction exists, including for those to whom there are obligations for unfulfilled tours in 2021–2022. Therefore, the tourism industry is concerned about this to a certain extent, but still we hope that reason will prevail.
Lena Lenina, writer, co-owner of Lena Lenina’s Network of Manicure Studios:
Photo: Anatoly Zhdanov, Kommersant
– Do you want to ban us Schengen? Better put us in prison in North Korea right away! All my life passes between Russia and Europe. All my friends have flown, fly and want to fly to Europe. We have friends and relatives here. We love European holidays, universities and shopping. We like Europe more than China, India or Africa.
Russians are much closer mentally to Europeans than to Chinese, Indians or Africans. We love Europe and are accustomed to its comfort, order, luxury, security and mild climate. We cannot do without Europe, we do not want to live without it. Europe can easily be abandoned only by those who have never been to it.
Yana Poplavskaya, actress, TV presenter:
Photo: Yury Martyanov, Kommersant
“Because of what’s going on in the world, that’s the least of my worries.
I have traveled a lot of countries in my time. Certainly, as someone who believes that the world belongs to all of us, these restrictions seem strange.
I find a lot of good in everything and I can say that people will travel more in their country. I myself, traveling all my life, have not even traveled a quarter of Russia.
Would you like to go abroad? Yes, definitely. I love Italy very much. I had a five-year Schengen, and I went there several times a year to study the history of the country. Well, if I don’t, then it’s okay.
Vladimir Platonov, President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
Photo: Safron Golikov, Kommersant
– This kind of anti-Russian sanctions worries both many Russians who are used to traveling and entrepreneurs who have long ceased to smile at Zhvanetsky’s phrase “I have to go to Paris on business urgently”. As the president of the MCCI, I am concerned about the artificial difficulties that arise for the maintenance and development of business ties.
Boris Vishnevsky, Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg:
Photo: Alexander Koryakov, Kommersant
– I do not currently have a valid visa, but this worries me much less than the events taking place in the country since February 24th. In comparison with them, the problem of obtaining Schengen visas seems to be extremely insignificant.
Elizabeth Boyarskaya, actress:
Photo: Irina Bujor, Kommersant
— The Maly Drama Theater has always toured all over the world. But it so happened that we were in Europe for the last time before the pandemic. Up to this point, they went to Europe on tour at least twice a year, so the Schengen visa has been in the passport on an ongoing basis for more than 20 years.
Unfortunately, it is clear that cultural ties will not be established anytime soon and there is no need to wait for big tours. Nevertheless, in Europe we have many friends and colleagues with whom we keep in touch and good relations, so I just want to keep in mind that there is an opportunity to see each other.
Vadim Zelensky, Chairman of the Russian Association of Business Tourism, General Director of the tour operator Zelenski Corporate Travel Solutions:
Photo: Social networks of Vadim Zelensky
Any restrictions worry me both as a citizen and as an entrepreneur. Already, travel to Europe is severely limited logistically and by road. And, apart from recent weeks, the demand for visas has dropped significantly. Nevertheless, I hope that it will be possible to maintain the opportunity to get to Europe and this ban will not be introduced.
Natalya Zubareva, founder and head of the Preventive Medicine Clinic:
Photo: Social networks of Natalia Zubareva
– Of course, this situation worries me. And from the point of view of a representative of the industry, which is quite closely tied to international contacts, and as an ordinary person who has encountered the “cancellation culture” of Russians.
Despite my declared European tolerance for any views, I know of cases when ordinary specialists from Europe were given instructions “from above” to stop not only professional interaction, but also any personal communication with Russian colleagues, up to messaging in instant messengers. Joint projects and scientific developments will suffer – such consequences of the possible abolition of Schengen for me will be the most dramatic.
Teodor Shoshiashvili, co-founder of consulting company Max Finance:
Photo: Max Finance
– In my opinion, this is more like a punishment for Russian investors in European business and real estate.
Our business is not very dependent on Europe, but in general, freedom of movement and choice is always better than isolation. Visiting EU countries for education, for cultural and economic exchange, just as a tourist always develops thinking and allows me to generate interesting ideas for their implementation in Russia.