Norway will become the latest and the last country that borders Russia to ban Russian-registered vehicles.
Announcing the news, the Foreign Ministry State Secretary of Norway, Eivind Vad Petersson, said that the country will ban the entry of cars with Russian licence plates.
However, he did not reveal when the ban will enter into force, stressing that the authorities are evaluating the situation and looking for ways to introduce the ban.
Norway will introduce restrictions on importing and using Russian-registered cars in Norway. We’re now looking at how this will be done and will come back quickly with effective measures.
The decision of Norway to introduce the ban was taken following the EU Commission’s clarifications on the existing prohibitions.
The Commission confirmed earlier this month that nationals of Russia are prohibited from taking several personal items when travelling to the bloc, including their personal cars, smartphones, and even toilet paper and soap.
The authority further explained that the ban covers all Russian-registered vehicles, noting that the duration of the car’s stay in the territory of the EU is irrelevant.
While Norway is yet to officially introduce the ban on Russian-registered cars, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have all implemented bans on passenger vehicles holding Russian licence plates over the past week.
Announcing Finland’s decision, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the ban on Russian-registered cars has been taken in line with the clarifications made by the Commission of the EU.
Moreover, the authority noted that the ban will apply to everyone except for EU citizens permanently residing in Russia and their family members, those travelling for humanitarian reasons, and diplomats.
Similarly, Estonia also said that the decision to ban Russian-registered cars was taken in line with the Commission’s clarifications.
Announcing the ban that became effective on September 13, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Estonia, Margus Tsahkna, said that citizens of Russia are not welcome to the country to enjoy the privileges of freedom.
On the other hand, Russia has complained of the bans, saying that Russians are being discriminated against.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the numerous travel restrictions that the EU has introduced are making it impossible for Russians to enter the bloc.
Moreover, the Ministry said it is clear the EU wants to drop an ‘iron curtain’ and keep people-to-people contacts to a minimum. The same called on all its citizens to assess all possible risks when planning to enter the EU.
