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Latvia and Estonia are the two counties where aliens live. They did not come from some other planet but arrived here during the period from 1940 to 1991.
Latvia and Estonia are the two counties where aliens live. They did not come from some other planet but arrived here during the period from 1940 to 1991. These are Russian-speaking citizens of the former Soviet Union holding the so-called “alien’s passports”. There is nothing funny about such a status, given that they cannot be elected to governing institutions, work as policemen or become members of other government institutions. Possible ways to solve the problem was the focus of a regional conference of Russian compatriots living in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania held in Riga on August 27th and 28th . 20 years after the Baltic territories gained independence from the USSR, the status of Russian-language compatriots living there remains an issue to be resolved. The authorities do not accept any arguments, saying that things won’t change. Meanwhile, those left without citizenship contributed a lot to restoring these countries following WWII, reviving their industry, economy and culture. Furthermore, the Baltic States themselves have changed a lot, as well as their political situation, says leader of Estonia’s Anti-fascist Committee Andrei Zarenkov. "Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent social catastrophe, national regimes assumed power in the Baltic, making people who unwillingly found themselves beyond the Russian borders an object of oppression from the national elite. This is where ideas of not to give them citizenship actually originate from. Politicians feared that proposals put forward by Russian people, if allowed to enter the ruling circles, were not going to satisfy the national elite. This problem was successfully done away with in Lithuania alone, where the government comprised many far-sighted and intelligent politicians who managed to overcome this crisis right after their state was formed and provided citizenship to all the residents. Latvia and Estonia were not so lucky in this respect," said Andrei Zarenkov. And still, these countries are showing some progress, especially concerning the youth. Young people pass their exams in history and national language, Latvian or Estonian, undergo naturalization and obtain their citizenship. However, apart from politicians, the process is being slowed down by the then created state structure. In the meantime, Europe is silently observing the Baltic States’ situation. The European Parliament is not authorized with solving issues of citizenship or language status. But today, following the Norwegian massacre, the EU will definitely revise its stand towards countries where neo-Nazism is originating on the government level. Perhaps, the situation will soon improve in terms of observing the rights of Russians living in the Baltic States. And so far, natives of the Soviet Union will keep fighting for their rights at all levels, both domestically and abroad, addressing Russia and the European Union for help. Source: Voice of Russia.
