"Or deprived of everything", Russians entering the country
According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta on September 11, almost all personal belongings of Russian citizens may be confiscated when they transit the EU. The European Commission has provided an explanation for this provision in the recommendations issued to the customs of member states. The report states that the detailed regulations are related to the EU's previous sanctions against Russia, which prohibit the flow of goods such as cars, smartphones, laptops, cosmetics, jewelry, etc. across the Russian border, but are targeted at goods that can bring significant income to Russia. However, vehicles with Russian license plates have been seized several times in Germany.
The report stated that ultimately, the EU provided the following explanation, stating that the ban also involves personal items, which means that Russians may be deprived of everything upon entering the EU. Driving into EU countries and carrying smartphones or even boxes worth a certain amount may now be considered as engaging in illegal imports, and since they are considered "smuggled goods", they may be confiscated. The ban even involves toilet paper and toothbrushes, which are also included in the sanctions list. The report states that the specific implementation of the above suggestions is likely to be decided by EU countries themselves, just like before issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens. But the new EU proposal appears to be aimed at preventing Russian citizens from crossing the EU. According to reports, Russian State Duma lawmakers have been mocking this ban. Member of Parliament Altuhov said that this is another manifestation of the European Commission's "Russian phobia" and racial discrimination. "The Brussels authorities are working hard to build an iron curtain and invent the most absurd methods to infringe on the rights of our compatriots. I believe that at the grassroots level, people are unaware of these new interpretations and bans.". He mentioned that the European Union banned the import of Russian cars in 2014. He analyzed, "Perhaps my imagination has dried up, so I made a second attempt. If the ban on cars, smartphones, and boxes from entering the EU is logically justifiable, how can we rationalize the threat that toilet paper produced in Russia poses to the EU economy?" The report stated that another legislator, Hassanov, also believed that the decision was absurd. "In my opinion, all of these measures are aimed at exerting some kind of influence on Russia and its citizens. The imagination of Europeans is exhausted, so the second round of the same sanctions will be introduced. As Soviet writer Wanpilov said, idiots will not disappear, they will only continue to improve themselves.".