Latvia wants to ban tour buses to Russia this autumn - media

The Ministry of Transport of Latvia proposes to ban irregular passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus from October 15. This refers to one-time trips along a pre-planned route. For example, for excursions, sports games or other events, reports LSM.lv, writes UNN.

Details

The Ministry proposes to ban irregular passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus from October 15 this year. If the initiative is approved, a government decree will establish that the Border Guard will not allow irregular passenger carriers to cross the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders at the Paternieki, Grebnevo, and Terekhovo checkpoints from October 15.

The Road Transport Directorate (ATD) explained that irregular passenger transportation refers to cases where, for example, a carrier performs a one-time trip along a pre-planned route for excursions, trips to sports games, to the theater, to singing festivals, and similar events. And such trips, in which passengers are a pre-formed group, the driver knows their number and the purpose of the trip before starting the trip.

The Ministry of Transport, in cooperation with the Road Transport Directorate and consulting with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, summarized data showing an increase in the number of passengers in bus services to Belarus and Russia. This situation increases security risks at the country's external border, so a regulatory act providing for restrictions has been prepared.

For the changes to take effect, the draft order must still be approved by the government.

At the same time, it is expected that minimal and regulated opportunities for passenger movement will be maintained using regular passenger bus services, which are organized in accordance with the terms of intergovernmental bilateral agreements and national legal acts of the Republic of Latvia. This refers to trips in which carriers follow a regular route established by the public transport customer according to pre-approved schedules.

The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state structures have repeatedly stated the risks associated with such trips: cases of recruitment, extortion, and arbitrary detentions are not uncommon.

Addition

Latvia sent 16 fire trucks to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine within the framework of the Civil Protection Mechanism. These vehicles will strengthen the material and technical base of the State Emergency Service units and will be distributed throughout Ukraine.