Schengen visa does not guarantee Russians' arrival in EU countries - Borrell

BRUSSELS. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Even those Russian citizens who have a Schengen visa may be denied admission to a given EU country, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said.

"The ministers also agreed that the states will use their national capacities to keep cross-border flows under control. The fact that I have a visa does not mean that I have a right to enter a given country. Of course, it is a precondition, but even if you have your visa issued, it may happen that you will not be accepted," Borrell said at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defense Policy.

At the same time, he reiterated that the EU countries would be unable to fully isolate Russians from Europe.

A source in the European Commission told Interfax last week that the European Commission was working on the prospective procedure of EU visa issuance to Russian citizens and the proposals would be presented shortly. In his words, the proposals will include the full-scale suspension of the visa facilitation agreement with Russia.

The source noted that it would be premature to give any specific information about the future number, cost, procedure and periods of EU visa issuance to Russian citizens.

Borrell said at a press conference in Prague after the informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers on August 31 that the suspended EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement would significantly cut the number of visas issued to Russian citizens.

"This will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by the EU member states," Borrell said.

"[The process] is going to be more difficult and longer and consequently the number of new visas will be substantially reduced," he said.

"And this is a common approach [that] will prevent potential visa shopping by Russians going here and there trying to look for better conditions," Borrell added then.