Kremlin blasts President Zelensky's call for West to close international borders to Russians
August 9, 2022, 7:50 pm

Kremlin blasts President Zelensky's call for West to close international borders to Russians

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (Official Facebook page)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's demand for an international travel ban on all Russians has triggered heavy criticism in Moscow but found support in Baltic countries, the Anews reported, citing Reuters.

Zelensky's appeal was received "extremely negatively," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, according to the Interfax agency.

He said: "The irrationality of the thought process exceeds every measure."

Zelensky told the Washington Post in an interview published on Monday that "the most important sanctions are to close the borders — because the Russians are taking away someone else's land."

In reply to Zelensky's travel sanctions suggestion, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday called him "the greatest Ukrainian clown" on Twitter - and even compared him to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Since the start of Russia's invasion, Medvedev has repeatedly hurled insults at Ukraine, a country he recently suggested may soon not even "exist on the world map."

FILE PHOTO: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a joint news conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Russia February 18, 2022. Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Kremlin via REUTERS

Moscow frequently justifies its war by saying it is carrying out the the "de-Nazification" of Ukraine, a phrase that causes particular outrage because Zelensky is of Jewish descent.

EU countries neighbouring Russia have become more vocal recently on the issue of tourist visas for Russians.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry raised concerns that Finland is being used as a transit country by some Russian tourists to enter the EU before travelling on to their final destination within the bloc.

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Tourist visa for countries that are part of the so-called Schengen area, which is made up of 22 EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, allow tourists to travel freely between the countries.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry is now considering whether to stop issuing new visas to people who have used Finland as a transit hub in the past, according to a report by the Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

"It's not right that at the same time as Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists," Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Yle in an interview.

"My personal position is that tourism should be restricted," she added.

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Marin said she had discussed the issue of Schengen tourist visas for Russian nationals at summit meeting with other EU leaders before the summer and is expecting more talks.

Finland's call to sanction tourist visas is echoed by EU countries Estonia and Latvia who also share a land border with Russia.

"Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, adding that travelling to Europa "is a privilege, not a human right."

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Kallas stated in her tweet that since air travel from Russia to the European Union was halted following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU countries with a land border to Russia "carry the burden" as the "sole access points" to the bloc.

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu raised the issue last Friday when visiting his Polish counterpart in Warsaw.

"We will continue making proposals for more severe and efficient sanctions. The time to act is now. The seventh sanctions package is not enough," Reinsalu said in a press statement.

Latvia has already tightened visa requirements.

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Although the European Commission proposes options to sanction Russia, a spokesperson declined to comment on the calls to restrict visa travel for Russian travellers in the EU on Tuesday.

The spokesperson said in a Brussels press conference: "We are, in principle, ready to scale up the response to Russian illegal actions in and against Ukraine."

EU member states must unanimously agree to impose sanctions on a target.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.