Latvia officially calls Russia state sponsor of terrorism. Latvians may brace up for consequences

Russian MP Dmitry Belik, a Deputy of the State Duma from Sevastopol, called for reducing all relations with Latvia to zero.

"We should remove all relations with Latvia from the foreign policy and economic agenda of our country,” the deputy stressed, RIA Novosti reports.

According to Belik, Latvia behaves like a criminal. He recalled how Latvia expressed its readiness to host criminals from the Caucasus, as well as various figures who called for genocide and the destruction of the Russian nation.

"Now in the Seimas of Latvia, apparently, they have decided to wash off the stigma of a gangster shelter,” the MP said.

On Thursday, August 11, the Parliament of Latvia officially recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and its actions in Ukraine as terrorism. In addition, Latvia called on EU countries to immediately stop issuing entry visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Strangely enough, however, Latvia has recently resumed purchases of Russian natural gas. Moreover, Latvia agreed to purchase gas for Russian rubles and opened a ruble account at Gazprombank for the purpose. 

The Latvian parliament said that Russia has allegedly been supporting and providing indirect and direct support for "terrorist regimes" such as the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria for many years.

"In Ukraine, Russia has chosen a similar pattern of behavior — cruel, immoral and illegal. Achieving political goals through war, Russia seeks to intimidate and demoralize the people of Ukraine and its Armed Forces, as well as to paralyze the capacity of the state,” the Seimas said in a statement.

On August 1, Latvia announced that the issue of recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would be considered at the state level. The next day, the Seimas Commission for Foreign Affairs recognized the Russian Federation as such. The Latvian parliament has now supported this statement.

Russia calls Latvia neo-Nazi state

The decision of the Latvian Seimas to recognize Russia as a country sponsoring terrorism is based on "animal xenophobia,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Given that there is no factual information other than animal xenophobia under this decision, we should call its ideologists neo-Nazis,” she said.

Zakharova also recalled that she commented on the initiative of the Latvian authorities at a briefing a few days ago. She then stated that the pathological Russophobia of the ruling elite [of Latvia] had already caused serious economic and social problems for this Baltic country and brought down the standard of living of its population.

Latvia stopped issuing visas to Russians since the end of February, having envisaged a few exceptions. Last week, the Latvian authorities decided to cut the number of exceptions: now Russians will be able to enter the country only if they go to the funeral of a loved one.

In addition, members of the national conservative association of parties Everything for Latvia! — Fatherland and Freedom / DNNL work on amendments to the law "On Immigration." The amendments will make it possible not to renew temporary residence permits for citizens of Russia and Belarus.