Latvian MPs want to ban tourism services offering trips to Russia and Belarus, arguing citizens could be put at risk.
The rule would hit all tourism service providers registered in Latvia and come on top of international sanctions already applied to the two countries, public broadcaster LSM reported.
“When visiting Russia or Belarus, people may be recruited for espionage, exposed to intelligence services and risks of provocation,” Latvian MPs who proposed the legal amendments wrote.
“The safety, health and even life of Latvian citizens may be significantly endangered as a result of [such] recreational trips,” the MPs added.
Despite repeated warnings from the State Security Service and the Foreign Ministry to avoid traveling to Russia, almost 2,000 Latvian residents visited the country every month last year, according to the lawmakers.
While Latvian tour operators have now stopped offering trips to Russia, tourists can still purchase visits to Belarus from a handful of providers, the tourism industry association has previously said.
The proposed ban has been supported by Latvia’s parliament but still needs to pass two more readings before it could become law.
LSM says determined tourists could get around the ban by crossing into Russia and Belarus via countries neighboring Latvia that have no such rules.
“When visiting Russia or Belarus, people may be recruited for espionage, exposed to intelligence services and risks of provocation,” Latvian MPs who proposed the legal amendments wrote.
“The safety, health and even life of Latvian citizens may be significantly endangered as a result of [such] recreational trips,” the MPs added.
Despite repeated warnings from the State Security Service and the Foreign Ministry to avoid traveling to Russia, almost 2,000 Latvian residents visited the country every month last year, according to the lawmakers.
While Latvian tour operators have now stopped offering trips to Russia, tourists can still purchase visits to Belarus from a handful of providers, the tourism industry association has previously said.
The proposed ban has been supported by Latvia’s parliament but still needs to pass two more readings before it could become law.
LSM says determined tourists could get around the ban by crossing into Russia and Belarus via countries neighboring Latvia that have no such rules.
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