STRENGTHENING LATVIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICS

Abstract

The international security environment is currently characterised by a growing intensity of conflicts varying in scale. The ongoing Russian war in Ukraine is the largest long-term threat to the Latvia’s security, Baltic region and the entire European security architecture. Latvia’s security underwent several important developments in 2022, as several important decisions were taken to strengthen the security of the Baltic States. On 22 September 2022, the Latvian Parliament supported amendments to the Immigration Law providing for stricter conditions for issuing residence permits to Russian and Belarusian citizens. The Ministry of the Interior, as the leading state administration institution in strengthening the state border, has also implemented several significant measures since 2022 in strengthening the state border, preventing illegal immigration and criminal offences. The protection of the democratic form of government is a generally accepted priority of Latvia, especially in the current geopolitical context; however, it must be concluded that the public's attitude towards several immigration policy issues remains somewhat ambiguous. In 2024, the Constitutional Court passed a judgement on the compliance of the provisions of the Immigration Law with the Constitution in relation to the issuance of permanent residence permits to the citizens of the Russian Federation. In addition, on 20 June 2024, with the decision of the Department of Administrative Cases of the Supreme Court Senate, legal proceedings in the case, in which a Russian citizen requested issuance of a temporary residence permit, were concluded. The aim of the article is to explore the current issues of immigration policy in Latvia and to delve into the perspectives of strengthening the national border in the context of national security and global geopolitics.