Saeima supports in principle proposal to ban cars registered in Belarus from Latvia

RIGA - The Saeima today supported in principle amendments to the Road Traffic Law, which provide for the ban of vehicles registered in Belarus in Latvia.

The bill will be processed in a fast track procedure. It stipulates that vehicles registered in Belarus that are currently in Latvian territory must be removed or registered for road traffic in Latvia by October 31.

After the deadline, Belarusian vehicles will only be able to enter Latvia for one transit crossing of the Latvian territory, by applying in advance in the e-services provided by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate.

The Justice Ministry proposes to include two exceptions. The bill would not apply to persons with reduced mobility driving a vehicle registered in Belarus and entering to visit relatives in Latvia. In line with the recommendation of the Foreign Ministry, vehicles registered in Belarus will also be allowed to enter Latvia in special security cases. In these cases, persons will have to ask the Financial Intelligence Service for permission to enter the territory of Latvia.

Janis Vitenbergs (National Alliance), a member of the Saeima national economy, rural, environment and regional policy committee, stressed earlier in the session that such exceptions do not exist in the regulation on vehicles registered in Russia, which are already banned from entering Latvia.

Dace Melbarde (New Unity), Parliamentary Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, said that the Belarusian diaspora is very different from the Russian diaspora, noting that Belarusian opposition representatives had earlier called for the initial version of the draft law not to be supported. "That is why we are ready to be flexible if the political situation in Belarus changes," she said.

The plan is that in case of non-compliance with the new regulation, Latvia will be able to confiscate vehicles registered in Belarus in favor of Ukraine, supporting Ukrainians in their fight for independence.

The planned changes to the legislation will oblige owners of vehicles with Belarusian registration plates entering Latvia to re-register these vehicles in Latvia within a certain period of time, as well as to determine the consequences and liability of persons who fail to comply with these obligations.

It will also prevent the owners of these vehicles from evading responsibility for non-compliance with road traffic rules, explained the Transport Ministry.

A similar draft law was submitted by the opposition National Alliance, but was rejected by both the responsible committee and the Saeima at the end of June, saying that the Justice Ministry was already preparing a regulation.