Originally Posted by
Pontius Navigator
JTO, ok, a categoric assessment that recceguy' s post is blinking (if he of whom you referred). Would you like to identify such racist, inaccurate and inflammatory statements?
I'll take it as read that you know that no country in Europe is forced to take African migrants and give them free money and immediate citizenship at the behest of the US or the EU and the inaccuracies over the percentages has already been commented upon.
Regarding the ethnic Russians in Latvia, it is true that the number of Russians living in Latvia increased massively during the Soviet occupation. Although the point at which an occupying power becomes ethnic is not known to me.
As to those that chose to remain after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact - they had the option to become naturalised citizens and nearly half took that path and became Latvian citizens. Those that did not and retained Russian (or other) citizenship were granted indefinite leave to remain.
All children born after 1991 automatically receive Latvian citizenship, even if the parents remained Russian. A rather different reality to the picture painted by recceguy.
Latvia has been criticised by some (including the US) for its handling of illegal immigrants, the majority of which come from Russia. Only relatively recently has Moscow agreed to work with Latvia to help stem the tide of illegal Russian migrants crossing the boarder.
It probably suits some to paint Russians in Latvia as suffering and trapped by circumstance under a brutal regime; but in reality quite a few Russians are trying to migrate to Latvia and away from mother Russia. Apartheid it is not.