Latvian Citizenship Requirements
The issue of citizenship for the large Russian populations in the Baltic states, especially Latvia and Estonia, is one with large implications for the consolidation of peaceful and civil societies in the entire region. In part because it anticipated Pres
ident Clinton's historic trip to Riga in July, CCSI here reprints sections of a statement issued by the Government of Latvia (and printed in the May 1994 American Baltic News). In future issues, we hope to present additional information and perspectives
on this important subject.
Who are Latvia's present citizens?
Registered citizens of the republic, as of January 26, 1994, by ethnic origin:
Latvian 1,355,259
Russian 278,087
Polish 38,333
Belarus 20,455
Lithuanian 7,062
Jewish 6,638
Basis of citizenship.
Latvia became a sovereign, independent state
on November 18, 1918, and was forcibly occupied by the Soviet Union in
June 1940. Latvia restored its independence in 1991. All of Latvia's present citizens were citizens of the
independent Republic of Latvia prior to 1940, or are the descendants of citizens from this period. Their citizenship status is based on laws adopted during Latvia's independence from 1918 until 1940. Citizenship in Latvia is not, nor has it ever been, b
ased on ethnicity.
Latvia's residents not yet in receipt of citizenship:
Russian 444,399
Belarus 82,849
Ukrainian 59,853
Lithuanian 26,202
Polish 24,060
Latvian 22,031
Background on non-citizen status.
All non-citizens of Latvia
either entered Latvia after the Soviet occupation of 1940, or were born in Latvia after 1940. After 1940, Latvia's legal government was forcibly disbanded by the Soviet Union and thus the laws and institutions of the Republic of Latvia could not function
. Those who entered Latvia after 1940 did so as Soviet citizens, and their children were born as Soviet citizens.
Reasons for non-citizen status.
When Latvia restored its
independence in August 1991, those individuals who entered or were born
in Latvia after 1940 had the legal status of Soviet citizens residing in Latvia. When the Soviet Union disbanded on December 26, 1991, they, in effect, lost their Soviet citizenship. Ethnic Russians in Latvia had a right to establish Russian citizenship
while remaining in Latvia. (Similar conditions applied to nationals of other states.) Those who elected to remain in Latvia but did not choose to become citizens of Russia or another state, rendered themselves stateless. According to Russian law, afte
r February 1995 the possibility for persons of Russian ethnic origin to register for Russian citizenship will expire, thus making it more difficult for stateless Russians to change status.
Possibilities for Latvian citizenship.
The Latvian Saeima
(parliament) is presently debating a draft citizenship law which would set conditions enabling permanent residents of Latvia to apply for Latvian citizenship through naturalization. The draft law favored by the Saeima's ruling coalition would require 10
years residency (retroactive), a conversational knowledge of the Latvian language, knowledge of the basic principles of the Latvian constitution and a loyalty oath. It is estimated that well over 95% of the stateless permanent residents of Latvia would m
eet the 10-year residency requirement. According to this law, citizens of another country cannot become naturalized Latvian citizens unless they renounce their former citizenship. The law is not based on ethnicity.
A law in line with international standards.
The Latvian draft
citizenship law has been submitted to the Council of Europe and the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the CSCE. Both organizations have reviewed the draft law and made recommendations concerning specific articles in the law. Parliamentary leaders ar
e reviewing these recommendations and are anticipated to make revisions in the law before submitting it for a second reading to the full parliament. Latvia expects to join the Council of Europe shortly and also anticipates eventual membership in the Euro
pean Union, and understands that its citizenship policies need to coincide with the standards set by these organizations.
Minority and stateless resident rights in Latvia.
Latvian law forbids discrimination of any kind (in housing or employment) on the basis of race, ethnicity
or religion. Non-citizen permanent residents of Latvia have the same
rights as citizens with these exceptions: non-citizens cannot vote or
run for office, hold certain government jobs, or own land; nor can non-citizens serve in the Latvian armed forces. Non-citizens can own and operate businesses in Latvia with the same rights as citizens. (It has been estimated that 80% of all new private
businesses launched in Latvia since 1991 are owned by non-Latvians.) The rights and legal status of non-citizens in Latvia are comparable to those in other Western European democracies.
No possibility of deportation.
In a recent Newsweek interview,
Russian Foreign Minister Kozyrev claimed that Latvia was preparing to deport "thousands of Russians." There is no Latvian government policy or proposed law that would call for deportations of stateless individuals from Latvia. Since 1991 approximately 3
00 individuals have been asked to leave Latvia because they crossed
Latvia's borders illegally, either through failure to produce a visa or
because they carried invalid or forged passports. No permanent residents of Latvia have been deported. The Latvian government is asking that approximately 12,000 active duty Russian officers and their families, presently stationed in Russian military
bases in Latvia, return to Russia. Those Russian officers who retired from the Russian military while in Latvia after Latvia's restoration of independence in 1991 have been asked to leave, since they are not viewed as permanent residents of Latvia. Thes
e policies are common international practice and do not differ from those of Western European countries.
This article is from the June 1994 issue of
Civil Society ... East and West
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The URL for this page is: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~ccsi/csew/94-06/latvia.html
Last updated: October 8, 1996
