(MENAFN) The UN voiced its opposition to discrimination in response to Estonia's decision to bar Russians with visas issued in the Baltic nation from entering the Schengen area, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.
When questioned about Tallinn's recent action, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Guterres, stated during a news briefing that “countries have a right to implement their own visa policies,” But he also said that the group opposed discrimination.
He declined to elaborate or say whether the UN viewed Estonia's statements or policies as discriminatory, saying only, “We stand against discrimination but I am not going to start commenting on every quip.”
Earlier, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas urged the EU to prevent Russians from obtaining Schengen visas, claiming that traveling to Europe was "a privilege, not a human right" for tourists. At the beginning of the following week, Tallinn confirmed that it would close its borders to citizens of Russia who had obtained Schengen visas from the Baltic state.
MENAFN13082022000045011137ID1104691960
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.