VITEBSK, 1 December (BelTA) - More than 250,000 people will be able to take advantage of the small-scale cross-border traffic regime between Belarus and Latvia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus in the Republic of Latvia Alexander Gerasimenko said after the ceremony of exchanging the notifications on the completion of the internal state procedures necessary for entry into force of the intergovernmental agreement on facilitation of mutual travel by residents of border territories. According to the preliminary data, more than 70,000 residents of the border areas qualify for obtaining the corresponding permits in Belarus, and more than 180,000 in Latvia. According to the Ambassador of Latvia in Belarus Mikhail Popkovs, the parties agreed to exchange the lists in a month. It will take another month to technically equip the Consulate of Latvia in Vitebsk and Belarus’ one in Daugavpils, where residents of border territories will receive permits for visa-free border crossing. The full text of the Belarus-Latvia intergovernmental agreement on facilitation of mutual travel by residents of border territories of 23 August 2010 is available on the Internet. 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.

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