Latvia Considers Removing Signs Pointing to Moscow and Other Russian, Belarusian Cities

The issue of removing signs pointing to Russian and Belarusian cities, particularly Moscow, has resurfaced in Latvian society and state institutions. While new road projects no longer include such destinations, a complete replacement of existing signs across the country requires a separate government decision and significant funding.

According to collected data, Latvia's state road network currently has 235 directional signs and information boards containing names of Russian and Belarusian settlements. A similar situation exists on municipal roads – 78 such signs are recorded in Riga and five in Daugavpils. In total, at least 318 such signs have been identified nationwide.

Surveyed drivers expressed confusion about why distances to the aggressor country's capital are still displayed on major highways. Members of the public note that this information has lost relevance under current geopolitical circumstances and that it would be more useful to mark Latvian cities instead. On the other hand, the Moscow sign has historically served as an international direction indicator – the last major settlement before the border in that direction is Zilupe, which is also shown on signs.

The Ministry of Transport prepared an informational report with proposed actions earlier this spring. Initial estimates suggested that the signs could be replaced by September, but the Cabinet of Ministers has not yet made a decision. A full replacement of all signs on state roads and in major cities (Riga, Daugavpils, Rezekne) would cost several hundred thousand euros, and the use of these funds must be approved at the government level. Currently, the new approach is only applied to newly built or reconstructed road projects, where the inscription "Moscow" is no longer included.