Latvia says no Russian as second language
Source: Agencies |
February 20, 2012, Monday
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LATVIANS voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to reject a proposal to make Russian a second official language.
The vote was initiated by Latvia's pro-Russian lobby, which says the large Russian-speaking minority has been denied equal rights since Latvia broke free from the Soviet Union in 1991.
"This is a vote about the foundations of the Latvian state," Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said after voting 'No.'
With about 830 of 1,035 voting districts counted, results showed 76 percent against the proposal and 24 percent in favor.
About one-third of the 2 million population are Russian-speaking, though not all have the right to vote - many of them because they have not taken the Latvian language test that is one of the requirements of citizenship.
Latvia regained its independence in 1991 after 50 years of Soviet rule. Post-independence laws were aimed at cutting Russian influence and boosting the Latvian language and culture.
Many Russian-speakers settled in Latvia in the Soviet period and are still viewed by some Latvians as illegal occupiers.
The Russian-speaking population said the vote was a protest of the measures that discriminate against them, like having to take Latvian language and history tests.
Russian speakers who refuse to go through the naturalization process are seen as "non-citizens," with no right to vote or take jobs in the public sector.
Resentment also rose among Russian speakers after the Harmony Centre party, which has its roots in their community, won an election last year, but was left out of the coalition government.
Nil Ushakov, 35, head of Harmony Centre and also mayor of the capital, Riga, said he hoped the vote would start a debate.
The vote was initiated by Latvia's pro-Russian lobby, which says the large Russian-speaking minority has been denied equal rights since Latvia broke free from the Soviet Union in 1991.
"This is a vote about the foundations of the Latvian state," Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said after voting 'No.'
With about 830 of 1,035 voting districts counted, results showed 76 percent against the proposal and 24 percent in favor.
About one-third of the 2 million population are Russian-speaking, though not all have the right to vote - many of them because they have not taken the Latvian language test that is one of the requirements of citizenship.
Latvia regained its independence in 1991 after 50 years of Soviet rule. Post-independence laws were aimed at cutting Russian influence and boosting the Latvian language and culture.
Many Russian-speakers settled in Latvia in the Soviet period and are still viewed by some Latvians as illegal occupiers.
The Russian-speaking population said the vote was a protest of the measures that discriminate against them, like having to take Latvian language and history tests.
Russian speakers who refuse to go through the naturalization process are seen as "non-citizens," with no right to vote or take jobs in the public sector.
Resentment also rose among Russian speakers after the Harmony Centre party, which has its roots in their community, won an election last year, but was left out of the coalition government.
Nil Ushakov, 35, head of Harmony Centre and also mayor of the capital, Riga, said he hoped the vote would start a debate.
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