RIGA – Morten Hansen tells it how it is:
[T]his simple analysis explains why the country is still poor in an EU sense: It is on average poorly equipped with skills, possibly poorly equipped with physical capital and most likely equipped with a burdensome public sector – and that’s why it deals with scrap metal and not wind turbines.
I went to lkatvia 3 time and latvian must accept russian people , they must give same right than latvian people, give citizenship to all people born in latvia including the 40% russian people who dont have citizen, what a shem from the government and all will have a positive benifit in future, and forget the stupid idea of latvian speaking only, no place in the entire world speak latvian so may be abolish latvian language could be a second positive benefit also.
from a frenchman from canada
Don’t think we have the time to worry about that – I think we ought to develop skills, produce educated people that could turn this country around. The ethnic cohesion will come – it’s here in some way on a social level.
you dont think you have time to worry about human right in latvia, about people born there and have no right to speak their own language and only have ALIEN passport after been there 40 years, what king of retarded government is there, you must be latvian bonehead 100% to think that way, no fucken brain, no respect for other people, only selfish. People must work together to have a good economy, look what fiasco is your great country, you only deserved what you have and probably much less too.
many russian people have the education to make this country in a better shape but latvian government treated them as they are nothing, give low wages, keep them poor, WOW, they dont want work together, only latvian people can have good job in government, they are the best of the best WOW again, Is it why the country is in that bad shape today now.
ONLY think about, is it better now than before when soviet was there
I don’t see a connection between the stupidity of Latvian politicians, the economic mess, and the issue of citizenship. Russians are not poor here. In fact, on the top 20 list of Latvia’s wealthiest people, the majority are indeed Russian.
The economic crisis is one thing; the issue of citizenship is completely different.
thanks for your reply Aleks
Citizenship! if Russians residing in Latvia dont want to speak in Latvian language then go back to Russia thats simple!
I think they have the right to speak their own language, it does not cost a penny to the government, this latvian government is fashist and are manupilated by the americain government like a marionet, americain government tell them what to do and they are stupid enough to do it and simple people like yourself are naive enought to beleive everything, . latvian language is just a useless language, nobody speak this language in the entire world, you should speak russian or english or french and stop being selfish, tanks the soviet when they kick out the german from latvia, you will speak german today. I am french in canada and dont have problem with language, SIMPLE only people create problem with language. by the way if all russian people will leave latvia tomorrow, my dear you and your family will be starving because you wont be able to pay all new increase in tax for all service from the city, again thank russian people and they are good people usually, about latvian people I dont know yet
But Gaetan, don’t forget that the overwhelming majority of the Russians you’re talking about are newcomers — they came with Stalin. The Russians who lived there before that are already citizens. The ones who have learned Latvian can apply for citizenship, and many already have.
The French tend to be very concerned with their own language. I remember when I once made a presentation about endangered language in Cayenne during the La Science en Fête festival, the first question I got from the public was: And what about the French language? Because, you know, it’s endangered too! It’s going to disappear soon!
Imagine if this were true. Imagine if in France — or in Québec — suddenly there were 40-45% of people who didn’t speak French, but, say, English instead. Imagine if these people had previously been the political elite. Imagine if French-speaking Canadians and/or French had often been shamed as ‘useless’ (just as you are now doing to the Latvians…). How would you react?
Your native language is a part of yourself. Don’t offend other people if you don’t want to be offended. Would you like to be told that your native French is a “stupid useless language” in today’s world, where only English counts?
Latvia is THE ONLY state in the world where Latvian is spoken; if there is a place where it should be protected, it’s there. Just as Russian is protected in Russia, French in France, etc. Just as you need to prove you speak French before applying for French citizenship, you need the same for Latvian citizenship. Those who want to learn the language of the land where they live can become citizens. There is no discrimination here.
Fascism? Please… Don’t offend the people who actually suffered because of fascist states. Fascism is a very, very different thing from what’s happening in Latvia.
Gaetan, Russian people are good people. I should know; my wife is Russian, and one of my daughter’s native languages is Russian (the other being my own language, Portuguese). I also speak Russian fluently; I am an admirer of Russia’s literature and art.
Still: Latvian is as good a language as any other, and there are many treasures in Latvian culture. Please become acquainted with the Latvian people; I am sure you will see they are just as good as the Russians. They have only had to face more ethnic/linguistic oppression than the Russians have, and are still recovering from the trauma.