Latvia will tighten checks of Russians who live in the country on a permanent or temporary basis. This was stated by Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevich in an interview with Current Time.
According to him, as a result of such checks, some Russians will not renew their residence permit: “We will reduce and not renew residence permits that were obtained through investments, as well as under other programs.” Also, Rinkevich does not rule out that the Russians will be asked questions about the ownership of the Crimea and what is happening in Ukraine.
“I do not consider such checks of Russians as blackmail or pressure. But what happened on February 24, 2022 dramatically changed the attitude towards Russia. And this is not only the fault of one person, Putin: we see it here as a war waged by the whole of Russia, ”said the head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry.
In addition, Latvia will not give political asylum to Russians who are hiding from mobilization. According to Rinkevich, such people are not against Russian military aggression, but only against mobilization.
Latvia was one of the first countries to call for a halt to issuing visas to Russians. In August, the Latvian Saeima declared Russia a sponsor of terrorism.