Latvia bans cars with Russian number plates

The Latvian parliament has approved amendments to the Road Traffic Act that would ban Russian-registered vehicles from Latvia in the first reading on Thursday, 26 October.

Source: Delfi, a news website in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Details: The draft law stipulates that the owners of vehicles registered in Russia will have to re-register their cars or take them out of Latvia within three months of the law's entry into force.

Once the transitional period is over, the right to use Russian-registered vehicles in Latvian traffic will be granted for a single use if a person is crossing the territory of Latvia in transit.

The Latvian Justice Ministry says the presence of Russian-registered vehicles in Latvia is unacceptable, given Russia's attack on Ukraine and the threat to its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

Furthermore, vehicles in Russia often do not meet EU technical requirements, and their use may jeopardise road safety.

The law is expected to come into force on 15 November.

Background: Reports emerged that Latvia would not ban the cars registered in Belarus.

At present, all Baltic countries have banned the entry of cars with Russian number plates. Poland, Finland, Norway and Bulgaria have also introduced such measures.

Meanwhile, the Russians have been using the Kaliningrad transit train to get to the EU via Lithuania.

Support UP or become our patron!