LATVIA: Controversial referendum widely expected to give a resounding "no" vote to making Russian an official language in the former Soviet Baltic nation

Record ID: 863938

  • Title: LATVIA: Controversial referendum widely expected to give a resounding "no" vote to making Russian an official language in the former Soviet Baltic nation
  • Date: 19th February 2012
  • Summary: MAN LIFTING UP CHILD WHO PUTS BALLOT PAPER INTO BALLOT BOX
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Latvia, Latvia
  • City:
  • Country: Latvia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEC30HCCORHBQN4JFDVUAUPDD1
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  • Story Text: Latvians were widely expected to reject making Russian an official language in a controversial referendum on Saturday (February 18), but the vote has heightened ethnic tensions in the former Soviet Baltic nation and caused renewed criticism from Moscow.
    For Latvia's large Russian-speaking minority, about a third of the 2 million population, the referendum is a protest against being shut out of political life since Latvia broke free from the Soviet Union in 1991.
    "I voted 'for', but that does not mean I have a bad attitude towards Latvian language, not at all. I speak fluent Latvian, and was naturalized. I graduated from a Russian school, but I have nothing against Latvians. It is just a protest against Latvian politics, carried out during the last couple of years," said voter Nastya Guzheva.
    But many Latvians see the vote as a Kremlin-backed attempt to weaken the country's sovereignty to push the small Baltic state back towards Russia's sphere of influence.
    "Twenty years after we became free, I have to go and vote for my language! I am just ashamed, but everybody must do it. Everybody must demonstrate that there is only one language in Latvia, and that is Latvian," said voter Dzintra Kangere.
    Latvia regained its independence in 1991 after 50 years of what it sees as Soviet occupation. Post-independence laws were aimed at weeding out Russian influence and boosting the status of Latvian language and culture.
    "I regard this as the vote for the fundamentals of the state of Latvia, and I think this initiative which was intended to split the society in Latvia, will not succeed," Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters after he voted against the measure.
    Many Russian-speakers settled in Latvia during the Soviet period and are viewed by some Latvians as illegal occupiers.
    The vote is widely expected to fail given that the majority ethnic Latvian population will vote against.
    Among the Russian-speaking population, the vote is seen as a way to mark anger with the fact many have had to take language and history tests to become Latvian citizens.
    Others refused this naturalisation process and were left as "non-citizens", with no right to vote or take jobs in the public sector. They point out that they pay taxes like everyone else, have lived in Latvia for decades and say Latvians should forget the wrongs of the Soviet period.
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