European Commission: EU unable to stop issuing visas to Russians

European Commission’s Spokesperson on Home Affairs, Migration and Internal Security Anitta Hipper has said that proceeding from the EU Visa Code, the issuance of short-stay visas, in particular for Russian citizens, should not be stopped.

Each EU country can make decisions in private, Russia’s Kommersant quotes Hipper as saying.

“The EU Visa Code, which regulates the issuance of short-stay visas, does not envisage the possibility of stopping the issuance of such visas. There are always categories of citizens for whom visas should be issued, for example, in humanitarian cases, for family members, journalists or dissidents. However, EU member states can independently consider each issue of issuing short-stay visas in a particular situation,” Hipper said at a briefing in Brussels.

Coordinating Spokesperson for Economic Affairs of the European Commission Arianna Podesta noted that the European Commission plans to consider the introduction of new sanctions against Russia, however, does not comment on the restrictions on the issuance of tourist visas to Russians in the EU.