ON THE BORDER: LATVIA….

Laws passed last month to facilitate naturalization of stateless Russians have yet to enter into force. The laws will remain suspended while efforts to put the issue to a national referendum run their course. A referendum must be held if a third of the parliament and ten percent of registered voters so petition. Russian officials reject the proposed changes as “cosmetic” and last week introduced new economic sanctions, including a 20% transportation surcharge on most goods shipped to, from, or through Latvia.