Baltic States – CIS, Investments, Latvia, Legislation, Real Estate

Meanwhile, Unity has also submitted amendments to the law stipulating that the Cabinet of Ministers is eligible to restrict the issuing of residence permits.

VL-TB/LNNK member Janis Iesalnieks expressed deep discontent with the decision, as the Security Police had previously stated that issuing of residence permits to Russian citizens en masse poses threat to Latvia's national security. Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (Unity) publicly announced that the Security Police is incapable of dealing with the current number of applications, Iesalnieks said.

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma (Unity) and Saeima member Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica (Reform Party/Unity) indicated that Unity has submitted its own proposal to amend the Immigration Law, stipulating that in case of a possible threat, the Cabinet of Ministers will be eligible to halt issuing of residence permits.

Iesalnieks indicated that Unity's initiative was the very same proposal put forward by VL-TB/LNNK several months ago. The government plans to review Unity's initiative in one week, Straujuma said.