Republic

VITBESK, 1 December (BelTA) - Belarus and Latvia completed the internal state procedures necessary for entry into force of the intergovernmental agreement on facilitation of mutual travel by residents of border territories of 23 August 2010. A ceremony of the exchange of the written notices was held in the Hall of Delegations at the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee on 1 December 2011. “Opening the small-scale cross-border traffic with Latvia will give impetus to the development of bigger contacts in various fields and will contribute to mutual cooperation,” Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee Oleg Matskevich said before the ceremony. Protocol on the exchange of notifications was signed by the heads of the diplomatic missions: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus in the Republic of Latvia Alexander Gerasimenko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia in the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Popkovs. On 1 December the local authorities will begin forming the lists of the border area residents that qualify for obtaining the corresponding permits. The issue of permits, respectively, at the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Daugavpils and the Consulate of the Latvian Republic in Vitebsk is expected to start on 1 February 2012. The implementation of the agreement will have a positive impact on the development of bilateral relations, will allow to promote economic relations with the Latvia's border territories, the contacts of the local authorities, business circles, cross-border trade, will expand interpersonal and cultural ties, will support family contacts, as it will facilitate the entry into Belarusian territory of the ethnic Belarusians residing at the Latvian territory adjacent to Belarus. The entry into force of the agreement will also promote cross-border cooperation in other spheres (tourism, culture, sports, etc.). The agreement provides for simplified (visa-free) order of state border crossing by the residents of border areas, that permanently live in the border areas not less than one year, irrespective of their nationality, if they have a permit for local cross-border travel issued by a competent authority of the other Party, and a travel document (passport, or other document, allowed by the legislation). The permit validity will be from one to five years. The examination of the application will cost ?20. Pensioners, disabled persons and children under the age of 18 years may be exempted from the fee on reciprocal basis. The agreement envisages the list of administrative and territorial entities on the territory of each Party that define the border area, adjacent to the Belarus-Latvia border and located not farther than 30 km away from it. If part of such entity is located in the zone from 30 to 50 km from the border, such entity is also considered a part of the border area. According to the list, the border area covers from the Belarusian side Braslav, Verkhnedvinsk, Miory, Vidzy, from the Latvian side — Daugavpils, Kraslava, Dagda, Zilupe. The border area residents of the one Party's territory are obliged to observe the legislation of the other Party during the stay on its territory. Thus, they cannot leave the limits of the border area, and the residents of the Latvian border areas while staying at the territory of the Republic of Belarus have to register as it is stipulated by the law. The agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Latvian Republic on the simplified procedure of visa issuance to the residents of the border areas signed on 27 November 2002 terminates once the current agreement enters into force. Meanwhile the visas issued according to the agreement of 27 November 2002 may be used up to expiration of their validity.

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