German has announced to facilitate the visa requirements for Russian citizens who oppose the illegal invasion of Vladimir Putin. According to the reports, an interior ministry spokesperson confirmed such an announcement on Monday.
According to the spokesperson, Berlin will ease the entry rules for all persecuted and threatened Russians and offer them protection.
Authorities in Germany have said that the recent changes can benefit journalists, scientists, and social activists subject to pressure from the Kremlin.
The Russian government has regarded the human rights defenders and employees of international organizations.
In this regard, authorities in Germany said that they could be granted residency under the sped-up procedures.
The spokesperson asserted that the immediate family members would benefit from the recent changes. However, he added that he could not give statistics on how many people can benefit from such facilitated procedures. Further, he noted that applicants would be required to present credible cases.
Following the example of other European countries, Germany has also welcomed many Ukrainian refugees due to the war in Ukraine.
Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck has stressed that in welcoming Russians, Germany has to ensure that “the wrong ones do not come to us, and we don’t bring spies into our country.”
Recently a report provided by ZDF announced that hundreds of specialists, the majority of whom engaged in specific fields in German companies located in Russia, would like to work in the Western European country.
Authorities in Germany announced that they would accelerate the visa process for Russian specialists, even though it has been warned that citizens of Russia who work in Germany can be recruited for industrial espionage.
Recently, the Federal Office for the Protection and Constitution warned that citizens of Russia who were about to move to Germany and those working in the country risked being pressured to collect information of use to a Russian economy cut off from knowledge networks.
