Germany agrees to speed up the reception of Russians threatened for political reasons

BERLIN, May 30. (DPA/PE) -

The Government of Germany has agreed this Monday to speed up the reception process in the country of Russian citizens threatened in their country of origin for political or professional reasons, in the framework of the increase in tensions due to the invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia's increasingly brutal aggression against Ukraine is accompanied by increasingly strong internal repression, especially against the press, human rights activists and opposition figures," said German Interior Minister Nancy Phaser.

"We will offer protection in Germany to persecuted and threatened Russians and we will give Russian journalists, in particular, the opportunity to report freely and independently from Germany," he stressed in a statement given to the German news agency DPA.

Thus, a spokesman for the German Ministry of the Interior has indicated that the general conditions of entry into the country for Russian citizens will be maintained, according to which they can enter and stay in Germany with a passport. Depending on the purpose of the stay, a visa may also be required, for example for those who want to work.

However, following the agreement announced on Monday, opponents of the Russian government or members of particularly threatened groups, such as journalists, may be welcomed individually thanks to a rule in current legislation, justified by the "safeguarding of the political interests of Germany".