Belarus and Latvia have exchanged notifications on readiness to open small border traffic

December 1, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Belarus and Latvia have completed the internal procedures necessary for the agreement between the governments of the two countries on the simplified procedure for mutual travel of residents of border areas, dated August 23, 2010, to enter into force. The exchange of written notifications on the completion of internal procedures took place today at the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, BELTA correspondent reports. "The opening of small border traffic with Latvia will give an impetus to the development of broader contacts in various fields and will promote mutual cooperation," said Oleg Matskevich, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, expressing his confidence before the ceremony. The protocol on the exchange of notifications was signed by the heads of diplomatic missions - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Latvia Alexander Gerasimenko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Belarus Mihails Popkovs. Thus, from December 1, local authorities begin to form lists of residents of border areas eligible for relevant permits. The actual issuance of permits, respectively at the General Consulate of Belarus in Daugavpils and the Consulate of Latvia in Vitebsk, is expected from February 1, 2012. According to the unanimous opinion of the diplomats, the implementation of the agreement will positively affect the development of bilateral relations, will activate economic relations with the border areas of Latvia, contacts between representatives of local self-government bodies, business circles, cross-border trade, will expand interpersonal and cultural ties, will contribute to maintaining kinship and family contacts, as it will simplify the procedure for ethnic Belarusians residing compactly in the territory adjacent to Belarus in Latvia to enter the territory of Belarus. The entry into force of the agreement will promote the intensification of cross-border cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture, and sports.

The Agreement on the simplified procedure for mutual travel of residents of the border areas of Belarus and Latvia provides for a simplified (visa-free) procedure for crossing the state border by residents of border areas who permanently reside in these areas for at least one year, regardless of their citizenship, provided they have a permit for local border traffic issued by the competent authority of the other party, and a travel document (passport or other document provided for by legislation). The permit will be issued for a period of 1 to 5 years. The fee for accepting and considering an application for a permit is set at 20 euros. Pensioners, disabled persons, and children under 18 years of age may be exempted from the fee on a reciprocal basis. A list of administrative-territorial units within each party's territory is also established, defining the border area adjacent to the Belarusian-Latvian border and located within a zone of no more than 30 km from it. If a part of such an entity is located in the zone from 30 to 50 km from the border, then this entity is also considered part of the border area. According to the list, the border areas include, for example, on the Belarusian side - the towns of Braslav, Verkhnedvinsk, Miory, the settlement of Vidzy, and on the Latvian side - the towns of Daugavpils, Krāslava, Dagda, Zilupe. Residents of the border areas of one party's state must comply with the legislation of that state during their stay in the territory of the other party's state. For example, they cannot travel outside the border area, and residents of the border areas of Latvia must register in the prescribed manner during their stay in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. From the date the Agreement enters into force, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on the simplified procedure for issuing visas to border populations dated November 27, 2002, shall cease to be effective. However, visas issued in accordance with the Agreement of November 27, 2002, may be used until the expiry of their stated validity period.-0-

BELTA