The decision, set to be implemented from August 11 for a period of six months until February 10, 2024, comes in response to a surge in attempts to illegally cross the border, according to officials.
Under the new regulations, border guards and police will intensify their presence and surveillance along the border, authorities said.
A statement from the Latvian government said the move would help "secure the inviolability of the state border and prevent a threat to the state in connection with numerous attempts to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border."
The Latvian foreign ministry said it had received reports from neighboring countries, including Poland and Lithuania, concerning instances of unlawful border crossings originating from Belarus.
Statistics provided by Latvian authorities show that 14,000 individuals have attempted to cross the nation's borders through unauthorized means since August 2021.
In an effort to address humanitarian concerns, Latvia has granted entry to a limited number of individuals, admitting a total of 282 people, including 117 children, since the start of 2023, according to official data.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR
