Latvia

The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia has land borders with its two fellow Baltic states ? Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south ? and Russia and Belarus to the east. In the west Latvia shares a maritime border with Sweden. The capital of Latvia, Riga (Latvian: R?ga), is the largest city in the Baltic States.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Latvia

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The 100-seat unicameral Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is elected by direct, popular vote every four years. The president is elected by the Saeima in a separate election also every four years. The president invites a prime minister who, together with his cabinet, forms the executive branch of the government, which has to receive a confidence vote by the Saeima.

Related Topics:
Unicameral - Parliament - Saeima - Cabinet - Executive branch

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On September 20, 2003, in a nationwide referendum 66.9% of the Latvians voted in favour of joining the European Union. Latvia became a full-fledged member of the European Union on May 1, 2004. Latvia is a NATO member since March 29, 2004.

Related Topics:
September 20 - 2003 - Latvians - European Union - May 1 - 2004 - NATO - March 29

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Russian media, both local and in Russia, commonly accuses Latvia of being a fascist state for awarding pensions to those who helped combat the Soviet Union during World War II and supposedly oppressing the minorities in Latvia by adding Latvian-language lessons to Russian schools, setting a requirement of passing a basic Latvian-language exam to get citizenship for anyone who had no ancestors in Latvia prior to the Second World War (which many Russians who moved to Latvia during Soviet times, during which Latvian was not taught in Russian schools and was being pushed out of public life by Russian, considered unfair). The Latvian government claims that such means are necessary to protect the Latvian language, since due to large numbers of Russians being sent to major cities during Soviet times, they started to make up a majority of inhabitants in Riga, Liep?ja, Daugavpils and other major cities, Russian became the lingua franca there as Latvians had to learn it, while Russians did not have to learn Latvian. Supposedly, the actions by the Latvian government are done to reverse this trend and get Latvian back into the cities. The government is said to demand Russian land and reparations from Russia for time spent in the Soviet Union. In fact, Latvia has no territorial claims towards Russia, but demands an acknowledgement of the annexiation of the Abrene region to some degree, since this land was previously part of Latvia and detached from it by Russia during Soviet days.

Related Topics:
Russian - Fascist - Pension - Soviet Union - World War II - Minorities - Citizenship - Lingua franca - Reparations - Abrene region

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