Key Takeaways
- Latvia blacklisted Russian entrepreneur Alex Pospehov due to alleged exploitation of residence permit programs, raising national security concerns.
- Pospehov assisted 21 startups in obtaining visas using his address, now viewed as a security risk.
- Latvia has tightened immigration rules for Russians, including property purchase restrictions.
The Latvian authorities have announced that Russian businessman Alex Pospehov has been blacklisted over accusations of exploiting the country’s startup residence permit program. According to Schengen.News, Pospehov assisted various startups, predominantly from Russia, in obtaining visas by using his address as a fake residency. This scheme enabled approximately 292 Russians and their families to secure residence permits, triggering national security concerns.
Latvian security services view Pospehov’s actions as a risk not only to Latvia but also to the European Union’s safety. It’s suspected that his clients could misuse these visas for malicious purposes. Now residing in Luxembourg, Pospehov is reportedly promoting alternative routes to EU citizenship. Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, Latvia has also tightened regulations for Russian nationals, including restrictions on real estate purchases.
This case highlights Latvia and the Baltic states’ commitment to tightening immigration controls for Russian citizens. Latvia is now considering following Finland’s example and restricting property purchases by Russians to enhance national security.
#Latvia
Source [https://schengen.news/latvia-blacklists-russian-businessman-involved-in-residence-permit-exploitation/]
