Ekaterina Girnyk17:23, 08/04/234 min.1128

In particular, in September Latvia will send letters to 6,000 Russians asking them to leave the country.

The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) of Latvia will send letters to 6,000 Russian citizens in September asking them to leave the country. 

This is reported by “European Truth” with reference to the statement of the chairman of the Saeima Commission on Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Ingmars Lidak, quoted by LSM .

It is noted that we are talking about those Russian citizens who have not even tried to pass the test for obtaining the status of a permanent resident of the EU.”About 5-6 thousand, according to my forecasts.

These are people who have not expressed any desire – neither to take an exam, nor to receive a temporary residence permit.

That is, those who are silent. If you look at the law that exists now, then PMLP simply has to send a request to leave the country within three months,” Lidaka said.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Latvia confirmed that such letters are being prepared. According to preliminary estimates, there may be about six thousand recipients.

“If a person continues to stay in Latvia illegally, then the moment may come when state structures find out about this and, accordingly, remind them that they need to leave.

Criminal liability is not provided, but administrative liability is provided, so a person can be fined,” said the deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vilnis Vitolinsh.

At the same time, he added that such citizens can obtain any other permission to stay in Latvia, such as a visa or a temporary residence permit.

Lithuania is also “thinning out” the number of Russians in the country

In particular, as the LRT publication notes with reference to the Department of Migration, since the end of last year, after the introduction of a special questionnaire for citizens of Belarus and Russia, 1,164 people from these countries have been recognized as a threat to Lithuania’s national security.

The publication notes that all adult citizens of Belarus and Russia are required to fill out the questionnaire when applying for the issuance or change of a document giving or confirming the right to reside in Lithuania. 

In the questionnaire, you must specify certain information, express your attitude towards Russian aggression in Ukraine”

After assessing all public and non-public information, it was found that 910 citizens of Belarus pose a threat to national security, of which 337 were denied a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, 121 were refused to renew such a document. 205 Belarusians had their previously valid permits for temporary residence. 

Also, 254 Russian citizens were recognized as representing a threat to the national security of Lithuania. 43 Russians were denied a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, 46 were denied an extension. 

Another 59 Russian citizens had their previously valid temporary residence permits revoked, and 52 Russians lost their permanent residence permits in Lithuania. 

A press release from the Department of Migration states that all 1,164 foreigners have been banned from entering Lithuania.In total, over the past year and a half, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, 2,905 residence permits for Russians and Belarusians in Lithuania have been annulled.

Lithuania and Latvia are worried about the situation on the borders

Earlier, after the unsuccessful uprising of PMC “Wagner” in Russia, Latvia stopped issuing all types of visas to Russians .

Also, Poland and Lithuania, in connection with the relocation of part of the “Wagnerites” to Belarus, are considering the possibility of completely closing the borders with this country .

(c)UNIAN 2023