Photo: Helsinki Airport
Yet another negative consequence of the ongoing war in Ukraine is showing its ugly head, threatening to become a serious issue within the EU. After the pandemic-related restrictions in Russia were eliminated, numerous tourists are eager to travel, using Finland as a transit country, and not everyone is happy about that.
Ever since the first international sanctions against Russian oligarchs were announced following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the entire world had its eyes on their opulent assets, including superyachts, private jets, and mansions. It’s time for luxury cars to be in the spotlight, except that they’re not owned by famous oligarchs but by Russian tourists who are trying to travel internationally as usual, unaware of or indifferent to the powerful backlash.
Luxury cars, including Porsches, Bentleys, and the new Mercedes-Benz S-class, can be spotted everywhere in the parking garage of Helsinki’s airport, Euractiv reports. Tourists from Russia got a green light to travel starting July 15, when the country’s pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, but apparently, they’re not getting one from the European public opinion.
Due to the European airspace being closed for Russian aircraft as part of the EU sanctions, those who want to leave that country in order to travel have to drive across the border, hence the large number of vehicles with Russian license plates, many of them luxurious ones, at the airport in Helsinki.
Because of the Schengen regulations, Finland cannot close its border to the tourists who are coming from Russia, even though people in Finland are not happy to welcome them while the war is still raging, with no end in sight. The country’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto believes that the EU should support the restriction of visas for Russian tourists not just in the Baltic countries but throughout its space. On the other hand, according to Euractiv, people arriving in Finland from Russia feel that they should be free to enjoy their right to travel, regardless of the situation.
The European Commission is apparently considering taking action in this matter. Meanwhile, the Finnish government intends to restrict the volume of Russian visas starting September 1. Until then, luxury cars' license plates from that country will continue to attract negative attention at the airport.
Luxury cars, including Porsches, Bentleys, and the new Mercedes-Benz S-class, can be spotted everywhere in the parking garage of Helsinki’s airport, Euractiv reports. Tourists from Russia got a green light to travel starting July 15, when the country’s pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, but apparently, they’re not getting one from the European public opinion.
Due to the European airspace being closed for Russian aircraft as part of the EU sanctions, those who want to leave that country in order to travel have to drive across the border, hence the large number of vehicles with Russian license plates, many of them luxurious ones, at the airport in Helsinki.
Because of the Schengen regulations, Finland cannot close its border to the tourists who are coming from Russia, even though people in Finland are not happy to welcome them while the war is still raging, with no end in sight. The country’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto believes that the EU should support the restriction of visas for Russian tourists not just in the Baltic countries but throughout its space. On the other hand, according to Euractiv, people arriving in Finland from Russia feel that they should be free to enjoy their right to travel, regardless of the situation.
The European Commission is apparently considering taking action in this matter. Meanwhile, the Finnish government intends to restrict the volume of Russian visas starting September 1. Until then, luxury cars' license plates from that country will continue to attract negative attention at the airport.
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