Russia tightens visa rules for Europeans
Russia is removing the simplified visa process for civil servants and journalists from Norway and other European countries. A visa requirement for diplomats will also be put in place.
The change was approved on Wednesday following a proposal from the Russian government, the state news agency Ria Novosti reports.
The preparatory work states that a separate visa regime will be introduced for diplomats. At the same time, the preferential status will be abolished for official delegations of civil servants, elected representatives, and Supreme Court judges, as well as for journalists.
In addition to Norway, the change applies to citizens from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
Earlier, President Vladimir Putin repealed via decree the system that allowed people with diplomatic passports to travel freely into Russia. The decree applied to “retaliatory measures (…) in connection with the unfriendly actions of foreign states.”
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
