The Estonian government’s move to ban entry for Russians with Schengen visas issued by the Baltic nation makes Tallinn look “a little weak-minded,” Yana Toom, member of the European Parliament from the Estonian Center Party, said on Thursday.
As part of sanctions against Russia over its offensive in Ukraine, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said visiting Europe is “a privilege, not a human right” for tourists, and urged the EU to bar Russians from receiving Schengen visas.
On Thursday, Tallinn confirmed it would close its borders to Russian nationals with Schengen visas issued by the Baltic nation, starting next week. In an interview with Russian-language TV Channel ETV+, Toom called the move “absurd.”
The MEP explained that as Estonia “cannot make decisions for the entire Schengen area” and has no right to ban Russians with visas issued by other Schengen states, the only thing Tallinn can do is to effectively invalidate its own visas.
“I think we look a little weak-minded in this, but nevertheless this is the idea,” the MEP said.
She said the Estonian authorities are now trying “to push through the European Council” the idea of a total Schengen ban for Russia, but in her opinion, “the idea is not pushable.”