Latvia expels almost a thousand Russians from the country
Latvia has begun the process of deporting 985 Russian citizens who have not fulfilled the country’s requirements under immigration law.
This was reported by Postimees.
According to the Latvian Department of Citizenship and Migration, some Russians out of all 985 citizens have already left the country. Law enforcement agencies also have information on those who crossed the Russian or Belarusian border, but they do not have data on those who crossed the Schengen area (a group of 27 European countries that have abolished border controls).
The publication noted that Latvia has so far forcibly deported 2 Russian citizens.
“Of course, there will be other forced deportations. But how many? Practice will tell. It will not happen overnight. Probably, some people hope that someone will solve their problems for them,” said Gunars Kutris, a member of the Seimas and chairman of the Commission on Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion.
To reside in Latvia, you need to pass a language test or apply for another type of residence permit. Those who do not meet these criteria received a letter asking them to leave the country within two weeks or to apply for a legal stay.
The head of the Department of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, Myra Rose, said that the information is then sent to the State Border Guard to check the last declared place of residence and whether the person lives there.
At the same time, it is emphasized that Russians can obtain a different type of residence permit: on the basis of marriage or having family members living in Latvia, for example.
“Now we are talking about voluntary departure from the country. This means that everyone should be given the right to leave the country voluntarily. This does not apply to cases of threats to state security. However, if a person does nothing and does not file an appeal, they can also be deported forcibly,” Rose added.
