Riga, Sept. 21 -- Latvia is preparing to increase the value-added tax (VAT) on books, textbooks, press, and other publications printed in Russian, along with several other languages, according to a draft budget proposal submitted by the Finance Ministry, RT reported.

The move is part of a wider shift in the Baltic states' approach since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Along with Estonia and Lithuania, Latvia has adopted a more hardline stance toward Moscow, introducing stricter language laws and placing restrictions on its large Russian-speaking minority, which accounts for nearly a quarter of the population, RT noted.

As per the draft plan, from 2026 VAT will increase from 5 per cent to 21 per cent on both printed and d...