– Russian fishing vessels’ calls to Norwegian ports and crews’ land laws are carried out in accordance with international law. Attempts to inflame Russian fears on the basis of the sailors’ origin smacks of ethnic discrimination, writes the Russian embassy in an e-mail to news. Previously, the news Brennpunkt documentary “Shadow War” revealed that Russian trawlers may have been used in intelligence activities for Russia. In the Tromsø area, where Russian sailors can travel legally without a visa, there are a number of Norwegian military installations. Last week, the police chief in Troms sent out a new proposed land law for foreign seafarers on port visits in Tromsø, Harstad and Finnsnes. – The security policy situation and the experiences we have had so far mean that we see that it is necessary to narrow down the geographical areas and enforce the legislation more effectively, said police chief in Troms, Astrid Nilsen. At the same time, the police chief emphasizes that the land law and new restrictions apply to all seafarers outside the Schengen area, who arrive at Norwegian ports without a visa. Police chief in Troms, Astrid Nilsen, wants to tighten up on land law rights for foreign seafarers in Troms. Photo: Pål Hansen / news Could sail over large parts of Troms Before October 2022, Harstad, Finnsnes and Tromsø were open to Russian vessels in Troms. Thus, all foreign seafarers, from vessels in these ports, have had the opportunity to travel in most of the municipalities in Troms county. Now that a Russian vessel is in port in Tromsø, the crew can travel over large parts of Tromsø and the neighboring municipalities without a visa. The police chief in Tromsø will now do something about this. After October 2022, the number of ports available for Russian vessels in Norway was tightened to only apply to Tromsø, in Troms. In June, the police chief proposed further tightening. At the same time, Russian sailors can still travel throughout Tromsø municipality and the neighboring municipalities, while the new land law regulations for Troms are processed by the police chief. The matter is now out for hearing. – Such initiatives on the part of the police are particularly ridiculous, also because our seafarers have used freedom of movement in Norwegian ports for decades, writes the Russian embassy. This is how the limitation will be in the Land Law Court in Tromsø, if the police chief gets what she wants. Similar restrictions have also been proposed in Harstad and Finnsnes. These ports are already closed to Russian vessels. – The restrictions apply to all foreign seafarers In a response signed by the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness, it is emphasized that it is up to the individual police district to assess restrictions in the Land Code. – This is in accordance with the leeway given to the member states by virtue of international law, they write in the e-mail. The embassy believes that the new land law regulations show that Russians in Norway are subject to persecution by the Norwegian authorities: – We note with regret that in today’s “unhealthy” situation, any of our fellow citizens who are in Norway may be exposed to persecution on a national or ethnic basis. The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness rejects this: – The current restrictions proposed by some police districts are based on an increased need for control of foreign citizens, as a result of the changed security policy situation, they write in the response to the accusations from the Russian embassy. The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness believes that the provisions do not only apply to Russian seafarers: – The restrictions will then apply to all foreign seafarers, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality, they add. Could affect fisheries cooperation The Russian embassy believes this is part of an attempt to frame the fisheries agreement between Norway and Russia. – We see this as another step by the Norwegian authorities to limit fisheries cooperation. A collaboration that was previously characterized by overlapping interests between our countries in the management of the sustainable fishing industry in the north, concludes the embassy in the email. The Russian embassy did not wish to elaborate to news in what way this could limit fisheries cooperation between Norway and Russia.
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– Smells like ethnic discrimination – news Troms and Finnmark
