29 January 2026

Latvian journalist: Travel restrictions won't stop Latvians from visiting Belarus

Restrictions and bans on traveling to Belarus will have the opposite effect on Latvian citizens, and they will want to go to the country themselves to see how people actually live there, former Latvian MEP, media expert and journalist Andrey Mamykin told BelTA while commenting on the strict restrictions of the Latvian side for its citizens to travel on tourist buses.

The expert believes that the effect will be exactly the opposite of what the Latvian authorities expected. "Strangely enough, this will have the opposite effect, because the forbidden fruit is sweet. I remember being a young man: while the Voice of America was banned, I always listened to it on the sly, secretly from my communist grandfather. And when they allowed these things, chewing gum and Coca-Cola, I realized what nonsense it was. Very soon, the Balts will want to feel, see and get to know the Republic of Belarus firsthand. Naturally, they will leave with many positive impressions, because Belarus has those objective criteria and positive aspects that are missing in Latvia," Andrey Mamykin is convinced.

He added that another important aspect in our country is the administrative flexibility due to its compact size. "Belarus, being a small and compact country, has a high speed of maneuver. What I mean is this: when a foreigner comes to Belarus and applies for a residence permit, your authorities distinguish whether the person was convicted under a political article or a criminal one. Those who arrive with political convictions, in particular from Latvia, people who suffered for freedom of speech, receive asylum in Belarus," he explained.

Source