Tourists behaving badly in Bali is not a new thing per se, but according to CNN, it seems that the Balinese authorities want to make a warning example of the Ukrainians and Russians.
On the well-known holiday island of Bali in Indonesia, the authorities want to tighten visa practices for Russians and Ukrainians. A news channel writes about it CNN (switch to another service). The reason for this is alleged disruptive behavior, visa overstays and illegal work.
Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have arrived in Bali since Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in February 2022. Among them are those fleeing both war and business support. There are so many Russians among the arrivals that they are already the second largest group right after Australians.
Tourists behaving badly in Bali is not a new thing per se, but according to CNN, it seems that the Balinese authorities want to make a warning example of the Ukrainians and Russians.
– Why these two countries? Because they are at war and that’s why they flock here, said the governor of Bali Wayan Koster at a press conference last week.
The Ukrainian community in Bali was surprised by the planned tightening of visas
The news channel asked the Russian embassy in Indonesia and the Ukrainian consulate in Bali for a comment on the matter. The Russian embassy did not respond. The Ukrainian consulate in Bali, on the other hand, said that the Ukrainians in Bali are mainly women and are on the island for family reunification rather than vacation. In addition, the consulate assured that Ukrainians do not want to break the rules or restrictions.
The local police had their own view on the matter:
– Whenever we receive reports of a tourist behaving badly, it is almost always a Russian, said the police officer, who did not want his name to be made public.
Russian street artist Sergei Ovseikin says that the reason for his stay in Bali is his opposition to the war. According to him, the Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians who fled to Bali get along with each other.
– We all understand that ordinary people did not start this war.
Ukrainian man Dmytro says that the Ukrainians staying in Bali are a tight-knit community who mostly do not have any dealings with Russians. According to him, the island’s Ukrainian community is surprised and disappointed that they have been put in the same category as the Russians.
– Why do Ukrainians have to suffer when they don’t cause problems in Bali? He asks.
So far, there have been no visa restrictions. Indonesia’s tourism minister said the matter will be discussed with stakeholders before decisions are made.