The Czech Republic will ask its EU partners to allow Russian citizens to enter the Schengen area only upon presentation of biometric passports. This was announced yesterday by Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan, quoted by Reuters.
He explained that in this way “we will be absolutely sure that the person who enters with this passport is this person.”
Rakushan added that he was working with the Foreign Ministry in Prague to possibly strengthen the visa regime for Russian citizens, as well as to create special visas for people who are persecuted in Russia for links with the opposition.
The Czech Republic, where 260,000 Ukrainians live, is preparing for a possible influx of refugees from Ukraine, but so far there is no increased interest of Ukrainian citizens in issuing residence permits, said the Czech Interior Minister.