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I cried and called my husband. All morning I had følelsesutbrudd, ” says Alia Wikerøy desperate.
She has no idea when she’ll see her husband in Norway again. The plan was to travel home via the russergrensa on rus-sia in Eastern Finnmark on Monday.
So, it was not.
Friday 27. the march passed the Russian government to shut down all its border crossings to foreign countries because of koronaviruset.
however, It was publicly known the day after, and came suddenly on a part the russians who had thought back to Norway.
From midnight on the night of Monday was the border closed.
They should have said from the past. I had been informed two days in advance and had my husband come in full speed to the border to get me, despite the distance of nearly 800 kilometres, ” says Wikerøy, who lives in Nord-Lenangen, Troms, norway.
No help
Norwegians can still cross the russergrensa and come back to Norway, but Russian citizens receive neither return to Russia, or travel out of the country.
This also applies to those who have a residence permit in other countries, as Alia.
Alia Wikerøy don’t know when she’ll come back to Norway.
Photo: Private
I called to grensestasjonen Borisoglebsk, Russia’s ministry of foreign AFFAIRS in Murmansk and the Norwegian generalkonsulat in Murmansk. All complained, but no one could help me. When the borders opened, there is no one who knows.
The Norwegian generalkonsulen in Murmansk, Erik Svedahl, says they helped about 70 people with transport to the border from the 13. to 30. march.
– After 30. march get Russian citizens basically do not leave Russia, so we must refer these to the Russian authorities in order to clarify the situation, ” he says.
Challenging repatriation
Alia has lived in the state of minnesota since 2017, but returned in February to his home town in Murmansk county – including for a medical visit and a few administrative errands.
Then she should go back to his Norwegian family was the shuttle bus from Murmansk to Kirkenes in the north set.
On this stretch, however, has Svedahl and the royal Norwegian consulate general in Murmansk assisted to arrange your own shuttle bus service.
the Buses have driven people to the border Borisoglebsk-rus-sia, but because of the karantenereglene in both countries would not drivers drive over the border to Norway.
Transportation from rus-sia, and furthermore, had they thus arrange themselves.
It has for several been difficult to solve.
– One could not take a taxi or bus from there. It is any of your close ones should fetch you, but my family lives far away, ” says Alia.
Transport-trouble
because of The korona-the situation was difficult for Alia to get transporthjelp further from rus-sia from some of her acquaintances in the East-Finnmark.
She’d actually gone home on Monday. Thus took she never bus from Murmansk to the border.
my Husband couldn’t leave his job last week, so the plan was that he would get me on rus-sia on Monday. But then came these changes. It is very sad.
Russian Alyona Appel experienced the same challenge, but got help from the consulate to find some on the Norwegian side that could drive her from the border to the airport.
Fortunately, there are people who are willing to help in these difficult times, ” says Alyona.
Alyona Appel walking happy from grensestasjonen on rus-sia Sunday morning. It is usually not allowed to go here, but because of the karantenereglene, it was made an agreement between the grensekommissariatene in Norway and Russia.
Photo: ERIK ANDREASSEN / NRK
Also, she actually had plans to travel home to Norway on Monday, but because of a cancelled flight changed her plans.
– I like to visit family in Russia, but when the situation escalated, I was afraid to be banned. Now I’m relieved. It is very good to come home.
Hoping for speedy solution
While Alyona and several others came over the border just in time, sitting Alia still in suspense at the home of her parents in Russia.
She crosses her fingers that she may soon meet her husband again.
– Right now I know little. I just hope it will come some changes. Perhaps the authorities could set off a unntaksdag? Then people who are located in Russia to be reunited with their families, proposes to Alia.
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