European Union officials are outraged by the Kremlin’s “black list” of European officials denied entry into Russia. The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, called it “unacceptable.” Federica Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, issued the following statement:
In the past few months several EU politicians have been denied entry when arriving at the Russian border. The Russian authorities justified these refusals by referring to the inclusion of these individuals on a confidential “stop list.”
After each of these refusals, the EU and the Member States whose nationals were affected had repeatedly requested transparency about the content of this list.
The list with 89 names has now been shared by the Russian authorities. We don’t have any other information on legal basis, criteria and process of this decision. We consider this measure as totally arbitrary and unjustified, especially in the absence of any further clarification and transparency.
The 89 names hail from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, and Greece. Kudos to these countries. And shame on Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, Luxemburg, Italy, and the rest for failing to make the grade.
For the fact is that inclusion on the list is an honor, akin to a formal acknowledgement of one’s official status as an enemy of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, or some other vile dictator. Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, got it just right: “Those who try to censor us and make us scared for standing up for values deserve even more criticism. For me it’s about being very committed to standing up for peace and freedom in Ukraine. I’m more proud than scared and this gives me more determination to continue... If the Kremlin takes me and my colleagues seriously it means we’re doing a good job.”
The list is not, as Mogherini said, “totally arbitrary and unjustified.” It makes perfect sense for a fascist state such as Vladimir Putin’s Russia to keep out anti-fascists. The real problem with the list is that it’s much too short. I can think of many policymakers, intellectuals, and professionals who have been far more outspoken in their criticism of Putin’s regime than some of the people on the list. Just about all my friends and colleagues belong on it. Heck, I belong on it! (I hate to bother you, Mister Putin, especially as you’re preparing for more war, but is there any way of applying for inclusion? Would letters of recommendation from Stephen Cohen, Gerhard Schröder, and Gérard Depardieu and a 200-word personal statement do the trick?)
Come to think of it, every decent person belongs on the list. Which raises an important ethical question. Should a decent person travel to a fascist state? Or should a decent person avoid all unnecessary contact with such a state?
The argument against travel is simple: travel financially supports and morally legitimizes the regime. The argument for travel is also simple: travel provides moral support to embattled democrats. The argument against is unconditional: every dollar or euro you spend in Russia supports Putin, regardless of what you do or say while in the country. The argument for is conditional: your presence in Russia may provide moral support to embattled democrats if and only if you actually articulate that support—boldly and publicly.
If these ethical principles persuade you, then simple tourism to Russia is out. If you want to experience Russian culture, visit the Russian émigré colonies in Europe and North America. If you want to visit Slavic countries, go to Ukraine, Poland, or the Czech Republic. If you want to get a taste of post-Soviet life, visit the Baltic states.
How about academics, policy analysts, and other intellectuals? Should they travel to Putin’s fascist realm? Only if they openly side with the democratic opposition and risk being thrown out. Won’t their mere presence help the democrats? Hardly. The last thing courageous Russian democrats need to see is hypocritical Westerners who feign concern for Russian human rights but won’t speak out against Putin’s tyranny outside their comfortable offices.
