Фото: Сейм Латвии
On July 23, the Latvian Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the law on support for the civilian population of Ukraine, introducing new restrictions on imports of goods originating from Belarus and Russia.
The amendments impose a national ban on the import of a number of industrial goods, including books, newspapers, video games, sporting goods, toys, clothing and footwear. The ban will also apply to goods imported from third countries if their country of origin is Belarus or Russia.
“With these amendments, we are continuing to systematically sever economic ties with Russia and Belarus while maintaining unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom and independence. This is another important step toward ending economic relations with the aggressor states,” said Raimonds Bergmanis, chair of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, which was responsible for steering the bill through the Saeima.
The exact list of products subject to the restrictions will be determined by Latvia’s Cabinet of Ministers.
The new provisions also apply to certain categories of goods that, according to the Latvian authorities, may be used for “the dissemination of propaganda and disinformation.”
In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers will assess the impact of the import ban each year by March 1 from the perspective of Latvia’s security and public interests, and will submit a report to the Saeima.
The law will enter into force on the day following its promulgation. The import ban will remain in effect until July 1, 2027, the press service of the Latvian Saeima reported.