An unexpected turn of events in diplomatic relations: VFS Belarus, a company specialising in visa services, and the Italian Embassy in Minsk have suspended the registration of new applicants for Italian visas. This decision, which came to light on 15 September, took many by surprise, as there have been no changes for applicants who have already registered – their applications remain valid.
Officially, according to VFS Belarus, this measure has been introduced pending further instructions from the Italian Embassy. However, behind the scenes of diplomatic manoeuvring, a more complex picture is unfolding, linked to recent international events.
It all began when it emerged that the perpetrator of the act of sabotage in Leipzig had, in fact, obtained his Italian visa in Belarus. This sparked a wave of suspicion and investigations, particularly given that Germany had accused Russia of involvement in the attempted attack on Leipzig Airport. Two people are involved in this story, one of whom holds Latvian and Russian passports, whilst the other holds Belarusian and Russian passports.
These allegations have provoked a strong reaction in Moscow. Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described Germany’s actions as a path towards further escalation, emphasising that no evidence had been presented. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov went so far as to call the allegations “the start of a real war”.
Whilst further steps are being discussed in Venice, Rome and Minsk, thousands of people who had planned trips to Italy are left in limbo. What the new regulations from the Italian authorities will be, and what the future holds for visa procedures, remains a matter of speculation for now.