Latvia banned entry of 13 Georgian citizens and declared them persona non grata

The Latvian Foreign Ministry has declared 13 Georgian citizens persona non grata and banned them from entering Latvian territory.

"Foreign Minister Baiba Brazhe <...> has decided to include 13 Georgian citizens in the list of persona non grata in the Republic of Latvia," the ministry's website reported on December 3.

The entry of these persons to Latvia is banned for an indefinite period of time, their names are not given.

The decision was taken in coordination with other Baltic republics, the Foreign Ministry said.

Very vague matters: anti-government rallies radicalize in Georgia

When and how the riots on the streets of Tbilisi may end

Protests have been going on for several days in Georgia over the suspension of European integration talks and the opposition's disagreement with the results of parliamentary elections in the country. The night before, Georgian security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in the center of Tbilisi.

Earlier, on November 30, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said that she would not give up her powers at the end of December because she considers the new parliament illegitimate. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned that she would have to leave office by law. On the same day, protesters tried to set fire to the Georgian parliament building and damaged dozens of offices.

Against the background of what is happening, the US State Department suspended its strategic partnership with the Georgian side, and the French Foreign Ministry accused the Georgian authorities of "repression." In turn, Kobakhidze noted that the issue of joining the association is being used to blackmail Tbilisi.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the events in Georgia its internal affair. In his assessment, the protests in the country are an attempt to sway the situation and are reminiscent of the events of the Ukrainian Maidan.