INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Poland and the three Baltic states said Thursday they would temporarily restrict access for Russian citizens holding EU visas by Sept
19 to address "public policy and security threats."The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland said in a statement they
were concerned "about the substantial and growing influx of Russian citizens" into the EU."We believe that this is becoming a serious threat
to our public security and to the overall shared Schengen area," they said.The statement said the four "agreed on a common regional approach
and hereby express their political will and firm intention to introduce national temporary measures for Russian citizens holding visas."The
measures would "restrict the entry into the Schengen area for Russian citizens traveling for tourism, culture, sport and business
purposes."Exceptions will be made for various categories, including "dissidents," "humanitarian cases," family members and holders of
residence permits in EU countries."We fully uphold the need to continue to support opponents of the Putin regime and provide them with
to freely travel in the EU, whilst at the same time people in Ukraine are being tortured and murdered."The prime ministers said they would
"continue to seek a common approach on the EU level."EU foreign ministers meeting in Prague last month agreed to suspend a 2007 visa
measures would have to conform with rules for the EU's Schengen common travel zone and members of Russian civil society should continue to
be able to travel to the EU.
