Latvians have taken to riding ATVs near the border - border guards threaten fines 0 8

The State Border Guard urges residents to refrain from using the internal border strip for travel on off-road and other mechanical vehicles in order to maintain the integrity of the state border and ensure proper conditions for the performance of border guard functions.

As reported to the LETA agency by the border guard, recently the internal border strip has increasingly been used for trips on ATVs and other off-road vehicles. Although the Law on the State Border provides that the internal border can be crossed at any point, and movement along the internal border strip is not prohibited, it is important to comply with the requirements for maintaining and protecting this area, the service emphasizes.

The internal border strip is designed to meet international requirements and allow State Border Guard employees to move freely on foot along the entire length of the border. This infrastructure is not intended for the movement of mechanical vehicles, and intensive driving can cause significant damage both to the strip itself and to the border ditches and other elements marking the state border, the agency explains.

The border guard also reminds that damaging, destroying, altering, or moving elements of the state border is strictly prohibited. According to the Law on the State Border, a fine of up to 200 penalty units (i.e., up to 1,000 euros) may be imposed for damaging elements of the land state border.

The border guard calls on residents to be responsible and, by not traveling along the internal border strip on mechanical transport, to respect the rules for its maintenance and the work of border guards ensuring the safety of Latvia.