Latvia and Estonia are expanding their efforts to curb cross-border crime, with a focus on joint drug busts, ERR News reports.
Law enforcement agencies from both countries are planning to conduct joint investigations at a time when the Valga County in Estonia has the second-highest crime rate in the country. Only Ida-Viru County, which borders Russia, has more crimes. Violent crime in Valga rose by 50% last year, and the increase is expected to continue, especially in drug trafficking.
Many of the perpetrators are not local residents. In Valga, a quarter of those suspected of crimes are not Estonian citizens. The issue is the free movement across the Latvian-Estonian border, which is allowed because both countries are in the Schengen zone.
Latvian Justice Minister Rihards Kozlovskis met with his Estonian counterpart Igor Taro in the twin city of Valga-Valka to discuss the situation. Taro noted that movement across the borders of Schengen countries is free, but that a situation should not be allowed where criminals use it for their activities
while authorities remain on their side of the border.
Another problem is third-country nationals, especially given the security situation and the use of vulnerable migrants to create hybrid warfare, which is observed on the border of Belarus with the European Union.
Kozlovskis told the program Aktuaalne kaamera that Latvia has no problems with Estonians, but Europe should take a unified position regarding third-country nationals. Since September, Latvia has had a requirement that all third-country nationals must fill out an electronic application form before entering the country. This includes Russian citizens living in Estonia. Kozlovskis pointed out that, given the geopolitical situation, visas should not be issued for unimportant purposes, such as tourism – this would allow reducing the number of people entering who pose a security risk, and then electronic forms could be abandoned. The minister added that for now the system gives 48 hours to carry out checks, but it is not yet fully functional.
Estonia is not currently planning to follow Latvia’s example. Taro said that the current risk assessment does not indicate that such forms are needed or that they could help improve the situation: “In fact, the current Schengen checks are sufficient.”
When vehicles with Estonian license plates enter the territory of Latvia, they are often stopped by Latvian border guards for document checks.
The Schengen area introduced a new system, the EES, in October last year, which automatically registers third-country nationals, replacing stamping in passports. Travelers entering from countries outside the Schengen area (including the UK) must provide biometric data (fingerprints and a photo) to register for three years. This system facilitates future travel.
Valka in Latvia and Valga in Estonia were once one city, which was divided with the demarcation of the new border in 1920.
Read also: Around 60 people questioned in Latvia in criminal proceedings over the implementation of Rail Baltica
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