Camilla Jessen
Latvia has passed a new law that stops Russians and Belarusians from buying or inheriting property in the country.
Latvia has passed a new law that blocks citizens of Russia and Belarus from buying or receiving property in the country. The law was approved by Latvia’s parliament on June 19 and is meant to reduce security risks.
Under the law, people from Russia and Belarus are not allowed to buy, inherit, exchange, or receive property as a gift in Latvia, according to Delfi and LSM.
The ban also covers companies from those countries, or any business where Russian or Belarusian citizens own at least 25 percent.
There are some exceptions.
People from Russia or Belarus who have permanent residence in Latvia or the European Union may be allowed to buy property in certain cases. The law also gives special status to political refugees from Belarus and ethnic Latvians who are returning to live in Latvia.
Supporters of the law say it’s needed to stop people or companies who could be a threat to Latvia from gaining a foothold in the country through property ownership. Member of Parliament Agnese Krasta said the goal is to reduce the risk of foreign influence.
Earlier, Latvia’s foreign minister asked European countries to stop giving visas to Russian citizens, also for security reasons.
The new law is part of wider efforts by Latvia to respond to concerns about Russia’s behavior in the region, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine.