COVID-19 drops a new Iron Curtain?

The measures that have been put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the restriction of air and ground travel to other countries, are reminiscent of the times of the Iron Curtain. Professor of the State University of Management Vladimir Volokh has shared his thoughts with Sputnik radio station on what to expect from new travel and migration guides, and whether or not the Iron Curtain is back.

On 20 May 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed a law ‘On the Procedure of Travel from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for USSR citizens’, which put an end to the era of the Iron Curtain. To mark the anniversary of that milestone event, professor of the SUM Department of Public Administration and Political Technologies Vladimir Volokh and the Vice President of the Russian Union of the Travel Industry Yury Barzykin shared their thoughts with Sputnik radio station, specifically on the new ‘Iron Curtain’ which has closed the borders between different countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Professor Vladimir Volokh, one of the persons behind the law on travel, provided a detailed overview of the existing visa regulations. He mentioned that ‘visa policies of the last few years are unlikely to see any drastic changes’. It’s not impossible, however, that there may be some new requirements on having a medical certificate as a proof of certain vaccinations or lack of contagious diseases for people willing to travel to other countries. If such requirements are introduced, they will only apply to citizens of specific countries with unfavourable epidemiological situations, which is in line with international law. This cannot be viewed as an attempt to prevent citizens from exercising their right to travel freely.

‘I do not believe that there will be any significant changes to the national visa policy due to the pandemic. The measures will be selective,’

said Vladimir Volokh.

According to Yury Barzykin, Russian health resorts are getting ready for the summer season. When it comes to other countries, Turkey, Cyprus and Tunisia claim they are ready for the tourist season. Europe is planning to open the borders by autumn or by the beginning of next year. Some of the destinations are likely to require results of a COVID-19 test.

The full discussion, ‘COVID-19 drops a new Iron Curtain. For how long?’ is available from Sputnik radio station here.

Подпишись на тг-канал "Наш ГУУ" Дата публикации: 26.05.2020