Despite the fact that irregular passenger bus transport to Belarus and Russia has been halted, regular flights continue, allowing for free visits to aggressor countries, writes the Latvian publication Diena.
There are a total of 13 flights available - to Minsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Smolensk - and approximately 7,000 people use them monthly. The Ministry of Transport does not promise quick solutions to stop the flights, also noting the legal and financial risks if the existing licenses of carriers are revoked.
In February, the Saeima supported a ban on passenger transport to Russia and Belarus by a majority vote, assigning further consideration to the parliamentary committee on economic affairs. However, as MP Jānis Vitenbergs (National Alliance) reminded at the Saeima's committee meeting, the committee has not yet reviewed the draft decision, although a month was allocated for this. Together with nine deputies from the National Alliance, Vitenbergs addressed Transport Minister Aitis Švinkē (“Progressives”) with a question about why the restrictions apply only to irregular passenger transport.
When Vitenbergs asked this same question to Švinkē's party member Kaspars Briškens, the response was: "The Ministry of Transport is working on it." Despite the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and security services urge people not to travel to aggressor countries, many still do. Since 2024, approximately 5,000 citizens and residents of Latvia travel to Belarus each month and about 2,000 to Russia, citing shopping, various events, visiting relatives and friends, and receiving services as the purpose of their visit.
In response to the deputies' inquiry, the Ministry of Transport agreed that the cancellation of existing routes, the cessation of issuing new permits, and the refusal to extend already issued permits are legally justified considering security concerns. At the same time, there is a risk that carriers will demand compensation in such cases, which would result in financial losses and legal disputes for the state.
In search of a long-term solution, the Ministry of Transport is currently considering the need to amend the law on road transport or Cabinet Regulation No. 37 - including a security risk assessment as a basis for limiting or suspending the issuance of permits.
