Latvia plans to further tighten the rules for issuing and renewing residence permits for Russian and Belarusian citizens, DPA reports.

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Temporary residence permits issued to citizens of both countries will generally not be renewed in the future, Prime Minister Kristianis Karins said after a cabinet meeting yesterday.

There will be some rare exceptions, he added.

Interior Minister Kristaps Eklons proposed, for example, that permanent residence permits for family members be issued only after passing a Latvian language exam.

Final decisions on the new regulations must be taken by the government as soon as possible. 

Latvia has already suspended issuing residence permits to Russians and Belarusians in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, and has also revoked nearly 1,000 permits. 

According to the migration authority, more than 9,000 Russian citizens currently have temporary residence permits in Latvia.

In addition, there are about 37,000 Russians with permanent residence permits. 

Latvia borders Russia and Moscow's ally Belarus, and the Baltic state is home to a strong Russian minority, making up about 27 percent of the population, BTA adds.

Russian invasion of Ukraine