Council of Europe censures EU state for treatment of Russian speakers
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has reported an increase in hate speech targeting Russian speakers in Latvia in recent years, suggesting that the naturalization procedures in the EU state for non-citizens could 'fuel negative sentiment.'
After Latvia gained independence in 1991, a large proportion of residents originating from other parts of the Soviet Union (predominantly Russians), even those who were born in the Baltic state, were issued 'non-citizen' passports, which barred them from voting or working in certain jobs.
The resulting ethnic division within the population was only made worse by the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, when Latvia and its Baltic neighbors stepped up their efforts to combat Moscow's perceived influence. Riga has implemented travel restrictions targeting Russian citizens and introduced a mandatory Latvian language test for long-term residents of foreign origin.
Thousands who have failed or refused to take the exam have been deported. The Kremlin has denounced the measures as 'blatant discrimination.'
In a report published on Thursday, the European Commission stated that since February 2022, there has been a notable spike in hate speech on Latvian internet sites directed at local Russian speakers. According to the document, local authorities may be fueling this animosity with their policies.
The EU watchdog singled out the country's rigorous naturalization procedures, particularly the Latvian language tests that resident non-citizens have to take if they wish to acquire citizenship in the Baltic EU member state if they were born before 1991.
The report urged Riga to take 'due account of individual circumstances and [provide] support as appropriate,' when conducting such tests.
The commission noted that as of June 2024, only 54% of applicants had passed language proficiency tests, raising concerns over the threat of forced deportation facing those who failed.
The ECRI also cited complaints it had received from the Russian-speaking community in Latvia regarding the local government's decision to phase out their native language from school curriculums by 2025.
The watchdog stressed that Russians, who comprise 24% of the general population in Latvia, constitute the largest ethnic minority in the country.
Earlier this month, a Latvian lawmaker who is an ethnic Russian was removed from a parliamentary session for uttering a few sentences in his mother tongue during proceedings.
Aleksey Roslikov of the For Stability! Party spoke out against what he described as the growing marginalization of Russian speakers in Latvia.
In latte May, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze called on EU member states to stop issuing Schengen tourist visas to Russian citizens, citing an alleged threat to the bloc's security.
Moscow has criticized Riga's measures targeting Russian speakers as 'blatant discrimination,' with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warning that Moscow could file a complaint against Latvia at the International Court of Justice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Russia Today
The EU's favorite war: the one Israel starts
Israel flew over to Iran with fighter jets and has since gone totally ballistic — literally and figuratively. So what does the European Union's insane clown posse have to say about it? Get yourself some popcorn. The Eurojokers are doing their best stand-up comedy again without even realizing it. First up: French President Emmanuel Macron, who took to social media to declare that 'peace and security for all in the region must remain our guiding principle.' Aww, how sweet. Calling for peace while holding your buddy's coat as he storms into the bar to punch someone on the face. So after Israel unilaterally launched its hundred-target missile tantrum across Tehran – complete with residential hits and assassinations – maybe some strong words against that kind of thing are in order? 'France has repeatedly condemned Iran's ongoing nuclear program and has taken all appropriate diplomatic measures in response. In this context, France reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself and ensure its security,' Macron posted as the conflict kicked off. Classic French parenting: ignore the kid setting the house on fire and scold the one who looked at him funny. Next up, Germany. Surely the new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, can inject some sober logic into the conversation about who just broke the fragile regional peace everyone's pretending to care about. 'Iran has subsequently threatened to accelerate uranium enrichment again. This nuclear programme violates the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and poses a serious threat to the entire region, especially to the State of Israel. We reaffirm that Israel has the right to defend its existence and the security of its citizens. We call on both sides to refrain from steps that could lead to further escalation and destabilise the entire region,' wrote Merz. Oh, so now that Israel has attacked Iran, it's time for restraint? Not before. Not during. After. Like a guy who throws the first punch in a bar fight and then shouts, 'Hey! Let's all calm down!' Both Macron and Merz say that Iran brought this on itself by enriching uranium. That's like this: you've got a neighbor who lifts weights in his home gym. You see him through the window with a squat rack, bench press, treadmill – getting jacked. And you're like, 'Wow, he's getting so ripped I'm afraid he might beat me up someday. So I better go over there now and beat him up while I still can.' That's basically what Israel did with its 'preemptive' strike. And Macron and Merz are cheering it on like, 'Totally! That guy was getting too buff. Definitely deserved a missile to the face.' Then Merz added from the G7 summit in Canada: 'This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us. We are also victims of this regime.' Oh, sorry – didn't realize the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had hired Israel as a global bouncer. And remind us, Friedrich: where exactly did Iran touch Germany on the map? Because Europe is far more likely to be 'victimized' by waves of immigration facilitated by its own lax policies, and sparked by its own support for regime change wars – like this one is shaping up to be – than by any distant centrifuge. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU's de facto queen, is now cosplaying as global playground monitor, sending all the boys to their corners. 'Europe urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate immediately and refrain from retaliation. A diplomatic resolution is now more urgent than ever, for the sake of the region's stability and global security,' she wrote. Maximum restraint? That's rich – especially coming from someone who's usually all about blowing €800 billion on weapons in bulk like a redneck doomsday cult stocking up for when Russian tanks finally roll up to the McDonald's drive thru in Warsaw – five years from now, around 2030, she and the rest of the Eurojokers keep saying. 'Of course I think a negotiated solution is, in the long term, the best solution,' she later said. Sure – as long as peace doesn't get in the way of endless proxy war in Ukraine, right? So, is anyone in Europe offering a perspective that doesn't sound like a hostage video scripted by Netanyahu's PR team? Not really. The Wall Street Journal summed it up bluntly: 'Europe backs Israel against Iran despite anger over Gaza.' For actual dissent, you have to look just outside the EU. 'Israel's attacks on our neighbor Iran are a clear provocation that disregards international law. These attacks, which come at a time when negotiations on Iran's nuclear program are intensifying and international pressure is increasing against inhumane actions targeting Gaza, demonstrate Israel's rule-breaking mentality. The Netanyahu administration is trying to drag our region and the entire world into disaster with its reckless, aggressive and lawless actions,' wrote Turkish President Recep Erdoğan from right next door to the EU clown tent. Türkiye has been waiting to join the EU since 1999 – like an Amazon package left on the doorstep, permanently. Gee, wonder why. You'd think that when things get this hot, Europe might welcome some diverse opinions – if only to avoid sounding like a chorus line of brain-dead sock puppets mouthing press releases from the Israeli defense ministry.
Russia Today
3 hours ago
- Russia Today
NATO summit to ditch Ukraine meeting
An upcoming NATO leaders summit in the Netherlands will have a shortened schedule, with the focus on Ukraine drastically reduced, Politico reported on Saturday, citing five people familiar with the matter. The summit, set to be held in the World Forum in The Hague from June 24 to 25, will only feature two main events – a welcome dinner at the Dutch royal family's castle and a single meeting of the North Atlantic Council instead of the usual two or three, according to Politico. There also will not be a meeting of NATO's Ukraine Council. Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky has been only invited to attend the welcome dinner, and it still remains unclear whether he will come, the outlet noted. The sources suggested the abbreviated schedule was a concession to the US and President Donald Trump in particular, who has repeatedly shown impatience with and shunned multilateral gatherings of a ceremonial nature. NATO officials reportedly pared down the agenda after the G7 debacle, when Trump abruptly left the summit in Canada halfway through the two-day program. He also reportedly opposed a draft joint statement on the Ukraine conflict, and the summit ultimately ended without one. The upcoming gathering is expected to yield no lengthy joint communique, with the bloc likely to produce only short statements on new commitments. Cuts to the agenda have also been attributed to a need to minimize the risk of derailing the main event of the summit, where members are expected to pledge to hike defense spending to 5% GDP. Trump has long demanded that NATO countries spend more on defense, and the new commitment will be regarded as a big 'win' by the US president, the sources suggested. 'He has to get credit for the 5% – that's why we're having the summit,' a European defense official told Politico. 'Everything else is being streamlined to minimize risk.'
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
Council of Europe censures EU state for treatment of Russian speakers
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has reported an increase in hate speech targeting Russian speakers in Latvia in recent years, suggesting that the naturalization procedures in the EU state for non-citizens could 'fuel negative sentiment.' After Latvia gained independence in 1991, a large proportion of residents originating from other parts of the Soviet Union (predominantly Russians), even those who were born in the Baltic state, were issued 'non-citizen' passports, which barred them from voting or working in certain jobs. The resulting ethnic division within the population was only made worse by the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, when Latvia and its Baltic neighbors stepped up their efforts to combat Moscow's perceived influence. Riga has implemented travel restrictions targeting Russian citizens and introduced a mandatory Latvian language test for long-term residents of foreign origin. Thousands who have failed or refused to take the exam have been deported. The Kremlin has denounced the measures as 'blatant discrimination.' In a report published on Thursday, the European Commission stated that since February 2022, there has been a notable spike in hate speech on Latvian internet sites directed at local Russian speakers. According to the document, local authorities may be fueling this animosity with their policies. The EU watchdog singled out the country's rigorous naturalization procedures, particularly the Latvian language tests that resident non-citizens have to take if they wish to acquire citizenship in the Baltic EU member state if they were born before 1991. The report urged Riga to take 'due account of individual circumstances and [provide] support as appropriate,' when conducting such tests. The commission noted that as of June 2024, only 54% of applicants had passed language proficiency tests, raising concerns over the threat of forced deportation facing those who failed. The ECRI also cited complaints it had received from the Russian-speaking community in Latvia regarding the local government's decision to phase out their native language from school curriculums by 2025. The watchdog stressed that Russians, who comprise 24% of the general population in Latvia, constitute the largest ethnic minority in the country. Earlier this month, a Latvian lawmaker who is an ethnic Russian was removed from a parliamentary session for uttering a few sentences in his mother tongue during proceedings. Aleksey Roslikov of the For Stability! Party spoke out against what he described as the growing marginalization of Russian speakers in Latvia. In latte May, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze called on EU member states to stop issuing Schengen tourist visas to Russian citizens, citing an alleged threat to the bloc's security. Moscow has criticized Riga's measures targeting Russian speakers as 'blatant discrimination,' with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warning that Moscow could file a complaint against Latvia at the International Court of Justice.
