Covid-19, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Tourism, Transport

As the state of emergency ends on June 9, travel by air, sea, road and rail transport will not resume to those countries where the Covid-19 incidence is still too high and can pose health risks. The list of such countries is available on the website of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

"In Latvia and the other Baltic states the cumulative 14-day number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population is around 6. Traveling to countries where this number is similar to that in the Baltic states is perfectly safe, because in these countries infection risk will be the same as in any Baltic state," the Health Ministry said. 

Baltic experts have agreed on a list of European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries, which have been divided in three levels - countries without travel restrictions, countries arrivals from which are required to stay 14 days in self isolation and countries to which travel is banned. The updated list is released weekly on Fridays, with experts from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania taking turns to prepare the list. 

The Health Ministry also informed that a decision on restarting passenger traffic to countries outside the EU and EEA has not yet taken because there is no certainty about the reliability of the infection rate data and Covid-19 testing quality in these countries. The decision might be taken after the European Commission provides its findings about reopening the EU's borders for travel, which might happen on June 15, or after the Baltic states' joint agreement on the issue.

At the same time, passenger transport will be allowed by state-owned aircraft, military transport, as well as private and business flights on which the number of passengers does not exceed five. 

The transport minister has been authorized to agree with the health minister on exemptions to the ban on international passenger transport by air, sea, road and rail. Arrivals from countries with which travel is not permitted (repatriation flights) will have to self isolate for 14 days. 

Foreign diplomats traveling through Latvia for official duties and their family members will be allowed to cross the Latvian border twice - in one direction and back.