Latvia bans entry for Russians living near strategic sites
Photo: Latvia has banned entry to Russians with real estate near strategic facilities (Getty Images)
Latvia bans entry for Russian citizens owning property near strategic sites, Deutsche Welle reports.
The decision was made following inspections by Latvia's State Security Service, which identified potential threats to national security.
In particular, Russian citizens who own residential or commercial properties near key military or infrastructure sites have been added to a blacklist and are now banned from entering Latvian territory.
Back in April, Latvia significantly tightened entry rules for Russian citizens.
Starting September 1, foreigners from Russia must submit detailed information 48 hours before arrival: the purpose of their visit, travel routes, place of residence, employment details, and information about relatives with government or military positions. Violating these new requirements may result in fines of up to 2,000 euros.
In addition, in February, the Latvian Saeima passed a bill banning Russian and Belarusian citizens, as well as companies with their involvement, from purchasing real estate in the country.
The law also applies to firms in which Russians or Belarusians own at least a 25% stake or are beneficiaries.
The Latvian government also proposed blocking all Russian Telegram channels, citing the fight against the spread of the Russian language in the country.
Earlier, Latvia's Ministry of Internal Affairs announced plans to amend the national security law. The changes would prohibit Russian and Belarusian citizens from holding positions in entities managing critical infrastructure.
