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Prime Minister: activities to give non-citizens voting rights – unjustified
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Valdis Dombrovskis
Actions directed towards giving non-citizens rights to vote in the next year’s municipal elections are completely unjustified, because voting rights are a privilege of only citizens of the Republic of Latvia, notes Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis.
If some person wants to take part in elections, then he or she needs to naturalize, and, as far as I know, many non-citizens do exactly that, the Prime Minister noted during his interview to 900 seconds broadcast of LNT television channel.
According to him, the naturalization process in Latvia definitely needs to be continued.
While, when asked about the countless referendums, the Prime Minister did not hide the fact that the Saeima Judicial Commission is currently working on ways to make sure Latvia does not drown in a sea of continuous referendums.
BNN previously reported that one and a half thousand citizens have signed the proposal to hold a referendum on whether or not to give citizenship to non-citizens, this information was based on the report of Adrey Tolmachevs, the coordinator of the For equal rights movement.
Ref: 102.109.109.1244
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Igor @ 2013-05-24 18:41:11
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The only right non citizens have in this place is payng taxes to a corrupt administration. I feel sad for this country.
To be honest I think the lv PM statement is horrendous, the comment that all people must be “naturalised” is something we would have heard back in 1939! People that are born in Latvia, been living in Latvia all their lives, pay taxes, support the Latvian economy and community, are in fact Latvian despite what the politicians think. I wonder if in a time of war, the Latvian government and the so called “naturalised Latvian people” would seek help and support from these so called “non-naturalised” people in the country?. I live in a country that also is bilingual and has 2 native languages, and believe me there are no problems here whatsoever. I have never heard such total dribble from a minister in all my life. It really seems that government speakers should see the wider picture instead of looking at the world through tunnel vision. In summation “A ludicrous statement from what I believe is a very small minded politician”. Please remember PM we are now living in 2012!!
C’mon guys, these people can leave for their native country at any moment. Nobody keeps them in Latvia. This country is in such state because their native country invaded it!
Exactly what do you mean when you say “These People”. Non latvian citizens are no different than you or I. If you have lived in a country since birth your entire family, father, mother, brother and sisters are there too, you have children who are in school there, this is their country too, what right does anyone have to tell them to go and live somewhere else!. Latvia is their country, Just because they might speak russian, it does not make them russian, and if you start talking about going back to their native country, then one would think the world population all head on down to Africa, where we all came from.
Dear Peter, the procedure for non latvians to become citizens is as easy as possible. You just have to learn the language, little history and that’s it. I don’t think it is too much asked. Unless you don’t feel at home in this country!
Actually, as someone who has done the first language exam for this, I can tell you how it really is.
I did this mostly for employment reasons in LV. My, how naive that was, but that’s a whole other story.
Firstly, if you have an other-EU-nation passport and nationality, the exam officials will still speak loudly to you in *Russian* as you sign in at front desk before the exam. Even though your name and passport are *clearly* not Russian, ethnically or otherwise. What happens next is they look confusedly for your LV personal code in your EU passport.
Oddly enough, other EU nations don’t put LV personal codes in their passports.
Then they will remember they actually have your name and personal code and address in front of them on a sheet of A4. Still, they will not quite realise yet that you are not in fact Russian. You may have to actually tell them this in your best Latvian, as they may not “get it” in any other EU language ;)
Perhaps if I had learned the Russian phrase for “I’m not Russian” …..OK maybe that would confuse them too.
Next, they will still insist on you telling them your LV personal code even though they have your own other-EU-nation passport with photo in front of them, and all the details – the same A4 sheet with your name, address, and LV personal code on it.
Then, the exam. First thing you notice is a large video camera being put on a fullsize tripod in the room to monitor all the students. Next is the rather harsh attitude of the well-dressed young exam supervisors.After this, we all start. Several of the questions appear to be dramatically ambiguous.
Doesn’t bother me too much as I am good at guessing and interpreting, plus I was very prepared, so could afford to drop a point or two and still pass.
Next, I get a talk-about-the picture routine, seems sensible, except the picture is about a beauty salon with girls in it doing girly stuff and I’m a guy ;) I have to think of some girly things to say about the activities in the picture. Luckily I know the word for nail-varnish but you know, I don’t go for that myself ;)
Next, after the exam is some complex routine to sign for and pick up your certificate and card, with a time-limit, you have to go in person to the office, somewhere completely different from the exam location.
I have no idea what the history exam is like…. perhaps similar to what you’d get if Mugabe had made up a history exam for white farmers?