Artis Pabriks: "Latvia can serve as a societal integration example for other countries"

On 20 September 2007, Foreign minister Artis Pabriks met with René van der Linden, President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly. During the meeting, Minister Pabriks emphasized that Latvia could serve as an example of societal integration for other countries, as over the last 20 years it has turned from a country with a split community into a united and secure state.

The minister underlined that Latvia, like other EU countries observes human rights norms with regard to individuals who belong to different national minorities. Our state has ratified numerous international documents, including the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Artis Pabriks noted that Latvia offers education in 8 minority languages, which is more that in most European countries. Accessibility to education in minority languages is a way for preserving cultural distinctiveness of these groups. The tradition has existed in Latvia since the early 20th century.

The Minister indicated that since the beginning of the naturalisation process in 1995, the number of non-citizens have decreased from 29% to 16% of the resident population. The number of persons granted Latvian citizenship has grown considerably since Latvia's accession to the EU. Latvian legislation has ensured that all permanent residents of Latvia may become citizens and the decision lies with the individual.

The President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly demonstrated a clear interest in the differences between the rights of citizens and those of non-citizens. Artis Pabriks emphasized that the differences are minimal and non-citizens are guaranteed the same social, cultural and economic rights as citizens.

The Foreign Minister introduced Mr René van der Linden to the history of Latvian minorities, and naturalisation and integration processes in the country.

Artis Pabriks presented to the President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly his book Occupational Representation and Ethnic Discrimination in Latvia.

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