Context: Latvia is set to end all bus connections with Belarus in 2026. The first step occurred on February 1, when the Riga-Vitsebsk route was halted. Next, buses to Minsk will stop running on February 27, followed by the end of service to Homel on June 28. The bus companies did not get new licenses for their regular routes. The restrictions also affected sightseeing trips. The Latvian Ministry of Transport justified it by citing the threat of illegal migration and recruitment by Belarusian special services, as well as general safety concerns for travelers.
On January 27, 2026, Novosti anchor Viktoryia Markevich reported on CTV that “the Latvian authorities are ready to fight not with an imaginary enemy, but with their own citizens” and that “the government has launched an attack on people’s private property.”
“Residents of areas adjacent to Belarus and Russia have begun to receive notices of land expropriation. Approximately 2,000 hectares are required for the construction of the Baltic Defense Line. The project is being developed in collaboration with Lithuania and Estonia. To date, approximately 400 land plots totaling 350 hectares have been expropriated. Of these, 77% are privately owned. And that’s just the beginning. According to media reports, over 1,500 citizens may be affected by this dispossession. It is unclear whether they will receive compensation.”
In fact, it is clear. Representatives of the Latvian Ministry of Defense stated that the land will be purchased at market value and owners will be compensated for all expenses, including crop losses incurred by farmers.
Riga deemed the existing anti-tank hedgehogs and “dragon’s teeth” (tank traps) insufficient for defending against an attack. Therefore, the authorities plan to reinforce the border with anti-tank mines and other fortifications. The entire defensive complex will stretch 30 kilometers deep into the border. The project, named the Baltic Defense Line, is located on the border with Belarus and Russia.
The Ministry of Defense has approved construction on approximately 1,500 plots of land. However, the Latvian Constitution prohibits the expropriation of land for that purpose, stipulating that fair compensation must be provided in such cases. The legislation also outlines the right to just compensation, which takes into account market value and owner losses.
A similar process is occurring during the construction of the Rail Baltica railway, which will connect the Baltic States to Poland. As a general rule, property owners are offered a refund. If they don’t accept it, they take the matter to court.
Apart from Belarusian TV, local dishonest businessmen spread rumors that the land would be taken away without compensation. As Latvian media reported, they tricked people who were not well-informed and unfamiliar with the laws, and bought their plots for pennies.
