For the first time, EU citizens will be allowed to cast their ballots in local elections scheduled in Latvia on March 12, the country's central election commission said Wednesday.

It said almost 4,000 foreign nationals from 22 countries with residence permits are eligible take part in the vote.

The elections will be the fourth in Latvia since the Baltic state regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Latvia along with nine other states joined the European Union on May 1,

But about 450,000 non citizens, mainly Russian speaking people, will not be allowed to vote in the Baltic state, which has a population of 2.3 million,.

The majority of citizens of other EU member states eligible to vote in Latvia are from neighbouring Baltic countries: more than 2,000 are Lithuanians and 590 are from Estonia.