Latvia bans local lawmakers from traveling to Russia and Belarus

The bill was fast-tracked and approved in its final reading on October 8. It provides for amendments to the law on restrictions on activities that threaten national security.

Previously, the ban on travel to Russia and Belarus already applied to several categories of public officials, including people with access to state secrets, employees of certain ministries and law enforcement agencies, military personnel, diplomats, employees of judicial and prosecutorial bodies, as well as members of the Latvian parliament and its staff.

Local government deputies have now been added to this list.

Raymonds Bergmanis, head of the Saeima Committee on Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention, explained that the restrictions were necessary because of security risks.

According to him, local deputies play an important role in the civil protection system, particularly in border regions where border infrastructure is being developed and important defense issues are being addressed.

He stressed that every local government has a civil protection plan and that deputies are part of this system.

Therefore, he said, it is important to prevent situations in which people who have access to security-related information or play an important role in crisis management could come under the influence of Russia or Belarus.

Latvian authorities have also previously warned about the risks of Russian and Belarusian intelligence activities and urged citizens to refrain from traveling to these countries.

Under the current restrictions, violating the travel ban may in itself constitute grounds for terminating employment.

At the beginning of October, the party of Latvia's pro-Ukraine prime minister won the election with a record result.

We also reported that the Baltic states are strengthening their defenses amid the threat from Russia and preparing for a possible conflict.