Finland set to stop entry of Russian tourists

HELSINKI: Finland said on Wednesday it is preparing a national solution to "limit or completely prevent" tourism from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

"This national solution may include new legislation, which would be adopted very quickly," Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a press conference. Since Russia’s Covid-19 restrictions expired in July, there has been a boom in Russian travellers and a rising backlash in Europe against allowing in Russian tourists while the war continues. Finland drastically limited tourist visas for Russians in September. But they continue to enter Finland with visas issued by other EU countries in the Schengen borderless travel area.