The EU has largely aligned the sanctions imposed on Belarus with those imposed on Russia in order to reduce the risks of sanctions evasion.
In order to ensure compliance with the EU sanctions, as of July 16 2024, vehicles registered in the Republic of Belarus are banned from entry to Latvia.
This entry ban will not apply to vehicles intended for use by diplomatic and consular missions, including delegations, embassies and missions when traveling.
Other persons travelling in a vehicle registered in Belarus will not be able to enter the EU in that vehicle when crossing the Latvian border. A person with a vehicle registered in Belarus will have to return from the border crossing point to the country from which he or she intended to enter Latvia, the VID said.
If the person refuses to comply with the customs authorities' instructions, including to return to Belarus or Russia, it will be possible to confiscate the vehicle in accordance with customs legislation.
According to the European Commission, the latest sanctions package also extends restrictions "to include the use of trailers or semi-trailers registered in Belarus. In addition, the existing prohibition to transport goods by road in the EU, including transit, now also applies to EU companies owned 25% or more by Belarusian persons."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has indicated that it is currently drafting and will submit to the Saeima Committee on National Economy, Agrarian, Environmental, and Regional Policy a draft law that will prevent vehicles registered in Belarus from staying in Latvia, including from crossing the state border in transit. Those cars that are already in Latvia will have to be re-registerd.
A similar regulation developed by the Ministry of Justice is already in force in Latvia for vehicles registered in Russia.
On July 16 the introduction of the new measures was criticised by prominent Belarusian opposition activist Franak Viačorka in a social media post that was also shared by Sviatlana Tsihanouskaya – who was herself in Latvia just over a week ago.
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Latvia's decision to ban Belarusian private vehicles hits the pro-European moods of Belarusians and helps to legitimize Lukashenka's regime. Please don't lump Belarus together with Russia, and don't equate Belarusians with Lukashenka. This is what dictators want. @Braze_Baiba
— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) July 16, 2024
The Belarusian President-elect's official website gives her thoughts on the matter, where she says:
"Restrictions on the entry of Belarusian-registered vehicles are a hasty and harmful decision. It primarily hurts the people, not the Lukashenka regime. Therefore, we are trying to convince our partners to revert or amend this decision. We are in contact with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, emphasizing the need to make exceptions for Belarusians entering the EU in their own cars."
However, as LSM has previously reported, the lack of consistency hitherto in the sanctions regimes applied against Russia and Belarus has led to several anomalies, including long lines of luxury cars at the border which seem destined for Russia via Belarus.
