Security Service assesses Transport Ministry's plan to impose restrictions on passenger traffic to Belarus and Russia

RIGA - The State Security Service is currently assessing a regulation drafted by the Transport Ministry to restrict passenger bus traffic across the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian border, LETA was told at the service.

The Security Service would not give more detailed comments for now.

As LETA reported, the Security Service has repeatedly warned people in Latvia that travel to aggressor state Russia and its ally Belarus is fraught with high espionage, recruiting and provocation risks.

Transport Minister Atis Svinka (Progressives) has indicated that the Transport Ministry in cooperation with the Road Transport Administration and in consultation with the Ministry of the Interior has collected and analyzed data, which show that the number of passengers traveling to Belarus and Russia by bus is on the rise. The minister underlines that such a trend increases security risks on Latvia's external borders, which is why the regulation has been prepared to restrict passenger bus traffic to Belarus and Russia.

The government will issue a decree obliging the State Border Guard to prevent non-regular bus trips to Belarus and Russia through the Paternieki, Grebneva and Terehova border crossings from October 15, 2025.

At the same time, minimal and regulated travel opportunities will be maintained through regular bus passenger services organized in accordance with the provisions of bilateral intergovernmental agreements and Latvian national legislation.

Non-regular services are one-off bus journeys on an assignment basis, following a pre-planned route, e.g., an excursion, a trip to sports matches, theatrical performances, a Song Festival and other events. In such cases, the bus driver also knows the number of passengers and the purpose of the group's journey, according to information on the Road Transport Administration's website.

Its report for 2024, the State Security Service says that despite repeated warnings against travel to Russia, the number of people going to this country doubled last year from 2023, with nearly 2,000 residents of Latvia traveling to Russia per month. Meanwhile, an estimated 5,000 people went to Belarus per month, with the Belarusian visa waiver fostering the trend.