On October 8, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that from November 1 of this year until October 31, 2026, tourist buses will be prohibited from crossing the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders through the Paternieki, Grebnevo, and Terехovo border points. However, the government turns a blind eye to regular passenger routes to aggressor countries, writes Tv3.lv.
Traveling to these countries for tourism purposes is prohibited, but visiting relatives is allowed. Those who want to visit their relatives or friends can buy a ticket and travel, for example, to Saint Petersburg.
The Ministry of Transport explained to the portal tv3.lv that tourist trips pose a greater threat to state security than regular flights. The ministry also noted that since March 1, 2024, when the ban on crossing the Lithuanian-Belarusian border by buses on irregular routes came into effect, the flow of such buses through Paternieki has significantly increased.
"Intensive irregular passenger transport by buses is occurring between Moldova and Russia, which transit through the territory of Latvia, crossing the external border of the state at the Terехovo and Grebnevo points. At the same time, the State Border Guard continues to record cases of illegal crossing of the Latvian-Belarusian border or attempts to do so, with a trend of increasing numbers. All these circumstances exacerbate the security situation in border regions, including threats of illegal migration and recruitment. As a result, there is a serious burden on the staff of competent authorities and a decrease in the throughput of border points," the ministry noted.
The Ministry of Transport also emphasizes that carriers operating regular routes are required to assess security risks themselves and check for valid travel documents among passengers.
