published24. August 2022, 13:00
Finland is angryWhy there are hundreds of Porsches and Bentleys in Helsinki’s airport garage
The consequences of the Ukraine war are evident at Helsinki airport in the form of large numbers of luxury cars with Russian license plates parked there. That should stop, one finds in Finland.
They travel to Finland with Schengen visas from other countries and then fly on to Europe via Helsinki Airport.
AFP
“There is a lot of Russian tourism at Helsinki Airport at the moment,” confirms Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.
REUTERS
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The consequences of the Ukraine war are evident at Helsinki airport in the form of large numbers of luxury cars with Russian license plates parked there.
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Finland has become an important transit route for Russian travelers.
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Now dissatisfaction with Finland’s visa policy is growing: from September 1, the number of Russian tourist visas is to be limited. Lithuania is also talking about new entry restrictions.
Luxury cars as far as the eye can see: Hundreds of Porsches, Bentleys, Mercedes and other luxury cars line up at Helsinki International Airport. It’s no coincidence that they all have Russian license plates.
Finland has become a major transit country for Russian tourists en route to Europe since the EU closed airspace to Russian planes over Moscow’s attack on Ukraine. Those who want to travel to Europe are increasingly driving across the border by car.
Looking at the parked luxury cars, a Finnish traveler says: “I’m stunned”. He wishes the Russian tourists weren’t here “before the situation in Ukraine is resolved.” He is not alone in this wish.
«Schengen visas from different countries»
“There is a lot of Russian tourism at Helsinki Airport at the moment,” confirms Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. Russian tourists “come here on Schengen visas issued by different countries, and then continue through Helsinki Airport”.
According to the Finnish Border Guard, about two-thirds of Russians crossing Finland’s eastern border enter on Schengen visas issued by a country other than Finland. At the top of the list are Hungary, Spain, Italy, Austria and Greece.
Deadline September 1st
The displeasure with Russian tourism has consequences: From September 1st, Finland wants to limit the number of Russian tourist visas to ten percent of the current volume.
Other countries, especially the eastern EU members, stopped issuing tourist visas for Russians shortly after the Russian invasion. With a visa issued by other EU countries, they can still enter all EU countries.
«European solution» wanted
In the discussion Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has now brought into play a regional entry restriction for the countries bordering Russia by stopping tourist visas for Russians.
“First we are looking for a European solution because it is the most sustainable and legally correct one,” said the chief diplomat of the Baltic EU and NATO country on Wednesday. “If such a solution is not found, we do not rule out looking for a regional solution that would involve the Baltic States, Poland and possibly Finland.”
At a meeting in Kaunas, the speakers of the Baltic states signaled their possible support for such a regional solution. However, the priority is an EU-wide solution.
Berlin and Brussels are against it
The Baltic states, together with other EU states, are pushing for an EU-wide solution for a fundamental ban on Russian tourist visas. Germany and the EU Commission in Brussels reject this.
The EU Commission said last week that there were talks about a joint solution for visas for Russian tourists. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, expressed concerns about such entry restrictions.
That’s what the readership of 20 minutes thinks
Landsbergis said his government wanted someone denied entry into Estonia not to be allowed into Latvia or Lithuania either.
By the way: the Swiss seem to be able to understand the dissatisfaction with the Russian travelers. In the opinion poll “Are Russian tourists still allowed to go on vacation in Europe despite the war?” the majority of over 12,500 participants answered “no”.
(gux)