Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said on Wednesday that the decision to refuse former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov a Latvian residence permit was not political.
Latvian Interior Minister Linda Murniece on Monday placed Luzhkov, who earlier requested a Latvian residence permit, on a blacklist of people whose presence in the country is "undesirable."
"I would not like to politicize this issue," Dombrovskis told journalists. "The country has relevant services, which currently enquire into the situation and make relevant decisions. I believe we should leave this issue within their competence."
Murniece said on Tuesday she made the decision against the former mayor of the Russian capital based on information from the country's security services. She also said that Luzhkov's goal was not to invest in Latvia or the Latvian economy, but to use Latvia for trips into the EU's Schengen Zone.
Under Latvian immigration laws, foreigners can seek residence permits if they have bought real estate worth between 50,000 to 100,000 lats ($100,000-200,000) or if they have 200,000 lats ($400,000) in a Latvian banking account.
Luzhkov invested 200,000 lat ($400,000) in the subordinated capital of Latvia's Rietumu Banka commercial bank and owns real estate in the country.
Murniece added that a number of critical speeches about Latvia's treatment of minority Russians, made by Luzhkov while he was mayor, had also contributed to the decision.
The ex-Moscow mayor, who had held the high profile post since 1992, was sacked last year by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev following an extensive smear campaign against him by the Russian media. Medvedev cited corruption and negligence of duty as the main reasons for the dismissal.
RIGA, January 19 (RIA Novosti)
