Finland said on Wednesday it is preparing a national solution to “restrict or completely prevent” tourism from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
“This national solution may include new legislation, which will be approved very soon,” Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at a press conference.
Since the lifting of Russia’s COVID-19 restrictions in July, there has been a surge in Russian travelers and a growing backlash in Europe against allowing Russian tourists in as 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 border-free travel area.
“Finland does not want to be a country that is a transit country for Schengen visas issued by other countries,” Haavisto said.
According to a poll published on Wednesday, around 70 percent of Finns want the Nordic country to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians.
