Refugees in Sri Lanka rally against planned closure of United Nations office
FOX NewsJUL 2023
Sri Lanka to End Free Visas for Russians, Ukrainians
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The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
The vast majority of these visa holders are from Russia, so this is really a Russian problem. Since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russians have entered Sri Lanka as tourists and set up illegal and even racist businesses in the country, abusing its generous visa program. Sri Lanka is rightfully asserting its sovereign right to control its own tourism industry.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russian tourists have been an economic godsend for Sri Lanka since the end of the country's devastating 30-year war in 2009, including after the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, providing a major boost to the crisis-hit economy. Sri Lanka understands the importance of Russia to its tourism industry, which is why it should remain neutral in this war and continue to welcome Russian tourists into its borders.