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Latvia closes border with Belarus, interior minister says

By Thomson Reuters Jul 31, 2026 | 3:58 PM

VILNIUS, July 31 (Reuters) – Latvia has closed its ​border with ‌Belarus, Interior Minister Janis Dombrava said on Friday.

In a ‌post ​on social ⁠media platform ⁠X, Dombrava said the border had been closed for “technical ​reasons” and urged travellers ⁠to use ⁠alternative routes.

Latvia ​closed the Silene ​border crossing with Belarus ‌in 2023, citing pressure from irregular migration ⁠that Riga says was orchestrated by Minsk. Paternieki ⁠has ‌since remained ⁠the only ​operating ‌crossing between the ​two ⁠countries.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas, writing by Essi Lehto, editing by Alistair ​Bell)