The Czech Republic has decided—for now—not to move beyond the EU-wide “notification” regime that has applied to Russian diplomatic staff since 25 January. Under that baseline system, embassies simply inform the host state in advance when a diplomat intends to enter; individual Schengen members can impose an extra layer of **prior authorisation** that would allow them to approve or deny each trip. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš first promised the tougher authorisation step in early February after security services warned of heightened espionage risks. Speaking in Parliament on 27 July, however, he confirmed that no preparatory work is under way. The cabinet, he said, is keeping the stricter option “in reserve” should relations with Moscow deteriorate further, but argues that Czechia should not “single itself out” while most allies maintain the lighter regime. To date, only Estonia has activated authorisation. For global-mobility managers the decision removes short-term uncertainty: no new paperwork or lead-time will be required for Russian diplomatic or service-passport holders travelling to Czechia. Companies that host Russian technical experts on A-2 or service visas can likewise expect the existing procedures at Prague airport and the land borders to remain unchanged. Nevertheless, security and foreign-policy analysts say the debate is unlikely to go away. Should another espionage scandal erupt—or if EU sanctions tighten—Prague could swiftly re-impose internal border checks on Russian diplomatic movements. Employers with Russian staff on official or service passports are therefore advised to keep contingency plans (longer booking windows, alternative Schengen entry points) on file. The episode also illustrates how EU member states are gradually layering national risk-based controls on top of Schengen freedom of movement. Multinationals should watch similar developments in Estonia, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, where authorisation regimes are being discussed for other high-risk nationalities.
Source: Novinky.cz
