Latvia banned the import of Russian books on September 1. That won’t get them off the shelves: booksellers say shipments will just clear customs elsewhere in the EU.

A Latvian ban on imports of certain goods from Russia and Belarus took effect on September 1. The restrictions cover not only clothing and children’s toys but also books. Latvian authorities say the ban is meant to sever economic ties with Russia and Belarus: Latvia intends to deprive both countries of some export revenue. The ban is also aimed at combating Russian propaganda in a country where nearly 38% of the population considers Russian their native language. At Meduza’s request, Latvian journalist Roman Shmelev examines how the new law will affect Latvia’s Russian-language bookstores, which were already hit earlier this year by an increase in the value-added tax on Russian-language books.