A sign indicating the Storskog border crossing between Russia and Norway is pictured near Kirkenes, Norway, on Sept. 28, 2022. Norway on Thursday May 23, 2024 said it would further tighten entry rules from Russia, saying those with tourist visas issued by Norway before regulations were strengthened in spring 2022 or issued by another European country, will be barred from entering the Scandinavian country as of next week. (Lise Aserud/NTB Scanpix via AP, File)
Oslo: Norway said on Thursday that it will close its border to Russian tourists, shutting their last direct access to Europe's border-free Schengen area.
As of May 29, most Russian tourists will not be able to enter Norway, which shares a 198-kilometre (123-mile) border with Russia in its far north, the government said in a statement.
"The decision to tighten the entry rules are in line with the Norwegian approach of standing by allies and partners in the reactions against Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," Minister of Justice and Public Security, Emilie Enger Mehl, said in the statement.
Norway, a member of NATO but not of the EU, stopped issuing most tourist visas to Russians in spring 2022, after Moscow invaded Ukraine.
But holders of long-term visas that had been issued before or those who had visas from other Schengen member countries could still enter via the Storskog-Boris Gleb border crossing, the only one between the neighbours.
From May 29, they will no longer be able to do so, the statement said.
Exceptions will be made for work and study, and those visiting close family residing in Norway.
Since the start of the year, 5,102 people with tourist visas have crossed the border from Russia, according to police.
Although not a member of the European Union, Norway works closely with the bloc, which had already adopted similar measures toward Russians in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Schengen border-free area includes most European countries and allows people to travel freely within its borders.
Russia's embassy in Oslo have yet to respond to a request for comment by AFP.
In April 2023, Norway expelled 15 Russian embassy employees which it deemed to be "intelligence officers".
Norway's domestic intelligence service PST said last week that it expected "that Russia will try to compensate for the loss of intelligence officers."
"They may do this for example by sending more travelling agents," Beate Gangas, head of PST, told a foreign press briefing.
( Source : AFP )
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