Latvians increasingly visit and move to Belarus despite government warnings

In Latvia, authorities are concerned that more locals may prefer living in Belarus over their own country. At the Paternek-Pogorovshchina border crossing, Latvian citizens are being handed leaflets warning them about the 'dangers' of Belarus and urging them to 'assess the necessity' of visiting. This follows the Latvian government's decision to close the border with Belarus and escalate tensions with Minsk. However, local residents are protesting the move, which officials have ignored. On August 4, a closed-door cabinet meeting will address the issue. Since 2022, 1,390,729 Europeans have visited Belarus visa-free, including 444,399 Latvians. Tourist numbers and Latvians relocating to Belarus permanently continue to grow.