Russian Foreign Ministry criticises tougher Schengen visa rules

Russia's tougher access to Schengen visas is "outrageous," particularly when it concerns travel for medical treatment or consultations, Alexander Kharlov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's representative in Yekaterinburg, told TASS.

"What surprises me most are the strict rules applied to humanitarian visas, when people seek medical consultations or treatment. I believe that rests on the conscience of those making these decisions. It appears that, for representatives of European countries, the humanitarian aspect is nothing more than an empty phrase," Kharlov said.

Earlier, visa centres in several Schengen Area countries tightened visa issuance rules for Russian citizens by extending application processing times, shortening the validity of issued visas, or suspending the acceptance of applications altogether.

According to Izvestia, citing a source, the European Commission is also discussing the possibility of a complete ban on issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens.

By Jeyhun Aghazada