YEREVAN. – Past daily of Armenia writes: In the last 2-3 weeks, we have been receiving information that the embassies of a number of European countries are largely refusing to issue visas to Armenian citizens.

Moreover, several citizens who petitioned to us were mentioning that they had been denied a Schengen visa to travel to Europe for medical treatment. According to these citizens, the reasoning is not connected with the coronavirus at all—although Armenia is in an unfavorable situation in that respect as well.

Now they reject [issuing visas] more on the grounds of "distrust" or "suspicion." The thing is that the embassies of European countries have doubts that these [Armenian] citizens are using the health condition as an excuse to leave the country in connection with the unhealthy climate that has been created in Armenia, and the authorities’ pressure being exerted on those that are opposing [them].

At the same time, the fact that the number of people wishing to obtain visas has significantly increased [in Armenia] gives suspicion to the embassies.