Originally Posted by
Helsinki Flyer
From my home itīs only 300 kmīs to St. Pete, but given the visa difficulties, Iīve never been. If the visa costs me more than flights to EU, let them keep their reciprocal pride thing. The problem isnīt that many EU-nationals would be staying as illegals in Russia, but the other way round still seems like a decent threat. If the Russians cannoīt accept that, then we have this problem that no games in Sochi, advertising, Hermitage, skyscrapers of Moscow, Putin or anyting can change.
Given Putinīs rhetorics lately I doubt anything going to happen within EU either. Finland being one of the very few countries in EU advocating for visa freedom for Russian we can only influence it very little.
And it's a legitimate concern. The average Russian don't even make as much as a Western European. They could overstay their visas and not leave. It's not like the EU isn't dealing with illegal migration at the moment.