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Investigators work in the garden of Sergei Skripal's house in Salisbury, southern England, on March 22. AFP/Getty Images

Niece of Russian nerve gas victim refused entry to UK

Viktoria Skripal was denied “on the grounds that her application did not comply with the immigration rules”.

BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAVE rejected a visa application by the niece of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, who was poisoned with a nerve agent along with his daughter Yulia in an English city last month.

“We have refused a visitor visa application from Viktoria Skripal on the grounds that her application did not comply with the immigration rules,” the Home Office, Britain’s interior ministry, said in a statement.

Sergei Skripal is no longer in critical condition and is “improving rapidly,” the hospital treating him.

It was the first official news on the condition of Sergei Skripal, 66, since he and his daughter Yulia were found poisoned on a bench on 4 March in Salisbury.

The affair has sparked a bitter diplomatic crisis between London and Moscow and prompted a wave of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats between Russia and the West.

Skripal ”is responding well to treatment, improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition,” said Salisbury District Hospital director Christine Blanshard.

As for his daughter, “her strength is growing daily and she can look forward to the day when she is well enough to leave the hospital”, Blanshard added.

Britain blames Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals — a charge the Kremlin furiously denies.

The first public comments by Yulia Skripal since the poisoning emerged on Thursday.

“My strength is growing daily,” she was quoted as saying in comments released by the police.

© AFP 2018 

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Apr 26th 2022, 6:45 PM

    Michael O’Leary needs to remember that he is the CEO of an independant airline, and when government’s need to make such decisions for whatever reason, of course they will favour their airline that they pump public money into…anything else would have them lynched.

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    Mute Vonvonic
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    Apr 26th 2022, 6:50 PM

    @Joe_X: I don’t think thats the point. It’s the favouritism towards Lot Airlines (illegal under European law) that is the source of the complaint. If it’s true; Ryan Air is correct to complain.

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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Apr 26th 2022, 7:00 PM

    @Vonvonic: It is and Ryanair are right. Pure protectionist policies that will drive prices up for those who have fewer alternatives. Not the first time this Polish government have attempted to have their cake and eat it too, when it comes to EU membership. Fair dues to Ryanair in this instance, one of the few corporations with the resources to take on Governments engaging in sharp practice.

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    Mute Vonvonic
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    Apr 26th 2022, 7:07 PM

    @Eoin Roche: 100% This has Kaczyński written all over it.

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    Apr 26th 2022, 7:14 PM

    @Vonvonic, Eoin Roche: So say it was an Irish Airline and the Irish government was putting public money into it, would you still be happy about that? After all it would be our tax money that the government would be putting into it, qould you still favour Ryanair’s complaint?

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    Mute Vonvonic
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    Apr 26th 2022, 7:24 PM

    @Joe_X: Not a question of liking it or not. It’s a question of legality.

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    Mute Wooden Spoon
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    Apr 26th 2022, 8:08 PM

    @Vonvonic: We can say what we want about Ryanair but Lot Airlines are a truly awful experience

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Apr 26th 2022, 9:23 PM

    @Vonvonic: True, but now I have read the report correctly, I actually don’t think it is a case of favouritism or legality but safety of Polish airspace. Now, we all know how much Michael O’Leary, and therefore Ryanair likes to complain if it looks like another airline even looks like it is getting an advantage. Not for the fact another airline is getting more, but because it is free publicity, and despite being the country’s biggest success story, Ryanair really tries to portray itself as the underdog the whole time. Look at all the giving out they has done about Lufthansa over the years. However, when it comes to some cities which have 2 airports, it is nearly always the secondary one that Ryanair flies into, as it is cheaper. The thing is, most public money allocated to the airports would go into main airport’s facilities, and Ryanair would give out about that. Frankfurt in Germany is an examle of that. Warsaw is an even better example at the moment, as the article is saying that due to the ATC industrial actions the government has to reduce flights. Now this is so they can ensure that there is enough ATC staff to monitor and control aircraft in Polish airspace and it would make sense to give priority to the city’s main airport as it would be larger with better facilities, and that is the point of the Ryanair complaint. The secondary airport has to take the hit because there are not enough ATC staff to ensure the safety of both.

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    Mute Mr Cylinical
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    Apr 26th 2022, 8:49 PM

    Why can’t the Polish Air traffic controllers sneak in a few extra charges to Ryanair?

    Landing: €400
    Taxiing: €150
    Gate fees: €270
    Schedule changes: €620

    Would you like to add Fuelling to you visit?

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    Mute artur fil
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    Apr 26th 2022, 10:06 PM

    Population of Poland was 38mln two months ago is 41mln at the moment. I wouldn’t worry about tourism at the moment.

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    Mute Tom Mullally
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    Apr 26th 2022, 8:01 PM

    From an economic perspective it would reduce tourism to their country. It would however reduce carbon emissions.

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