Belgium blocks visas for Russians

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Belgium has suspended the issuing of travel visas to Russian citizens for two weeks in protest over illegal immigrants from the country.

A government spokesman said on Saturday: "The Council of Ministers yesterday took the decision to close the visa section of the Belgian embassy in Moscow for a fortnight."

The two countries are in dispute over the repatriation of Russian illegal immigrants.

Belgium had decided to repatriate a number of illegal immigrants of Russian origin, but was still waiting for Moscow to issue the necessary documents.

The spokesman added: "It's complicated because in many cases the Russians say 'Is this person really Russian? He speaks Russian but could he be from a different former Soviet country?'"

He declined to say how many illegal immigrants were awaiting repatriation to Russia but said "several thousands" had to be sent back from Belgium every year.

Russia and Belgium agreed to set up a working group to look at the problem, but it has yet to meet, the spokesman said.

He added that Belgium could lift the visa suspension before the end of the 15-day period if the problem was solved before then.

The visa suspension was also aimed at making the Russians aware that Belgium has toughened its policies on illegal immigration and should not been seen as a soft touch by human trafficking gangs.

"We want to let it be known that Belgium is not the paradise on Earth that some trafficking networks say. These pseudo travel agencies that give that message are cheating their clients," he said.

Despite a new fast-track procedure to repatriate illegal immigrants and a switch to giving asylum seekers food and lodging rather than cash benefits, the number of such travellers from Russia was continuing to rise, he said.

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International Organization for Migration
Belgian Federal Government
Belgium: Overview
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