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Germany Pushes for Further Cuts to Tourist Visas for Russian Citizens
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German official Martin Giese stated during a press conference on September 2 that tourist trips by Russian citizens to Germany "cannot continue in the former format, as before, because there is no 'normality' while Russia is waging an aggressive war."
The Foreign Ministry representative emphasized that Berlin plans to work with European Union partners to significantly decrease the number of visas granted, adding that the number of visas issued to citizens of Russia for holidays in the European Union is too high, according to Deutsche Welle.
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The push for stricter entry conditions follows a announcement made by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on September 1.
He noted that Germany will tighten entry controls for Russian travelers in response to a drone incident at the Leipzig airport, which German authorities attributed to Moscow.
According to German investigators, a sabotage attempt occurred at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4 targeting an An-124 cargo aircraft, involving multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. One explosive drone was found near several Ukrainian cargo planes, while a second drone likely struck a DHL cargo vessel minutes after the initial discovery.
German authorities are seeking to manage security considerations by permitting entry solely to individuals who present no safety threats.
Giese refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the forthcoming restrictions, stating that revealing operational measures could allow individuals to bypass security checks. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt also alerted the public on September 1 about potential future hybrid attacks linked to Russian covert operations.
In response to the Leipzig incident, the German Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechaev on September 1 to issue a formal protest.
Concurrently, Berlin announced the closure of Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn by September 18 and terminated the operating agreement for the Russian House in Berlin. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow will respond to all decisions made by German leadership.
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Germany also ordered employees of the "Russian House" in Berlin to leave the country within seven days following an explosive-laden drone incident near a Ukrainian military transport plane at the Leipzig/Halle airport.
German investigators discovered a drone carrying explosives near the military transport aircraft and later located a second drone along with about 50 grams of explosives.
Following the investigation, Germany officially accused Russia of organizing the sabotage attempt and decided to shut down the Russian Consulate General in Bonn starting September 18, while also planning to deliver additional Iris-T air defense missiles and several thousand strike drones to Ukraine.
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