Latvia Country Page

 

   

Latvia Data Latvia Summary Reports: 2003/04 NCSJ EAJC: Anti-Semitism 2003 CIA World Factbook 2003 U.S. State Dept. - Human Rights 2003 U.S. State Dept. - Religious Freedom Latvian Embassy U.S. Embassy Riga 2006 Updates February: Pres. Vike-Freiberga Visits Israel 2005 Updates May: U.S. President on Latvian TV March : Protestors Clash at SS March 2004 Updates March : Baltic States Join NATO About NCSJ Country Reports Return to Directory

Population: 2.4 million Ethnic Composition: 56.5% Latvian, 30.4% Russian, 4.3% Belarusian, 2.8% Ukrainian, 2.6% Polish, 3.4% other Religion: predominantly Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Jewish population: 15,000 2002 Aliyah (emigration to Israel): 393 2002 Emigration to United States: 90 Size: 64,589 sq km Capital: Riga Major cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Liepâja, Jelgava  Freedom House Rating: Free

Currency: 0.56 lat = $1  (October 3, 2003) GDP: $8.4 billion (2002)   GDP per capita: $3,652 (2002) GDP Growth: 6.1% (2002) Head of State: President Vaira Vike-Freiberga Head of Government: Prime Minister Indulis Emsis Foreign Minister:  Rihards Piks Ambassador to United States: Maris Riekstins U.S. Ambassador to Latvia:  Catherine Todd Bailey Chronology of all U.S. envoys to Latvia

SUMMARY

Latvia has made significant progress toward full political and market reform since regaining its independence in 1991, following the Soviet collapse. It has been invited to become a full member of both the European Union (EU) and NATO by May of 2004. Dependence on Russia initially left Latvia badly scarred, and various economic crises in the late-1990s prompted significant reform. Latvia has posted impressive economic growth since 2000, with positive forecasts despite negative trends in the global economy. 

The Republic of Latvia enjoys strong ties with its neighbors, Lithuania and Estonia. The Russo-Latvian relationship has also improved in recent years, despite sustained tensions involving Latvia’s large ethnic Russian minority. Social friction has accompanied Latvian political instability and spurred accusations of widespread discrimination against the ethnic Russian community. 

The Jewish population of Latvia was devastated by the Soviet and German invasions of World War II. Latvia has begun to face its past and is dealing with the contemporary remnants of Nazi solidarity. The government has pledged to uphold Jewish rights, and has been outspoken on this issue internationally. Roughly half of the country’s current Jewish community has Latvian roots or citizenship. The Jewish community is active, well-organized, and works in conjunction with American and Israeli organizations. Latvia maintains full diplomatic relations with Israel.

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LATVIA

INTRODUCTION
POLITICAL SITUATION
ECONOMIC SITUATION
JEWISH COMMUNAL LIFE & ANTI-SEMITISM
    Holocaust Legacy
    Anti-Semitism
U.S. POLICY

Latvia, a small nation slightly larger than West Virginia, is the “middle country” of the Baltic states, situated between Estonia and Lithuania. Of Latvia’s 2.4 million residents, only 1.4 million are ethnic Latvians, a situation that has contributed to tension between ethnic Russians and Latvians. Latvians are a minority in six of the seven largest cities, and only 70 percent of the population of Latvia holds Latvian citizenship – of the nearly 700,000 non-citizens, most are ethnic minorities.

Long under Russian domination, Latvia enjoyed a brief period of independence after World War I. In 1939, Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union, although the United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet annexation. Once in control, the Soviets conducted a brutal russification of Latvia and thousands of Latvians were executed, deported, or imprisoned. While many Latvians collaborated with Soviet forces, others welcomed and collaborated with German forces, which invaded Latvia in 1941, exterminating Jews and other minorities. Soviet forces retook Latvia in 1944.

Upon regaining independence in August 1991, Latvians expressed their resentment of the Soviet occupation through citizenship policies aimed at reasserting the concept of Latvian nationality. The question of Latvian citizenship evolved into an international issue during the 1990s. Latvia initially offered automatic citizenship to the pre-war Latvians and their descendants, while other residents had to meet requirements for language proficiency. Strong pressure by Russia moved Latvia to repeal most restrictions, though the question of official language use – 43 percent of the Latvian population speaks primarily Russian – is still a potent political issue.

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Political Situation

The Latvian Constitution, adopted in 1991, supplements the original 1922 version. It provides for a unicameral 100-seat parliament (Saeima), a President, a Prime Minister, and a Supreme Court. The Saeima is responsible for electing the President, who then appoints the Prime Minister. Latvia has held four parliamentary elections since 1991, and the Saeima has elected four Presidents. Einars Repse became Prime Minister in November 2002, and Vaira Vike-Freiberga was reelected as president in June 2003, by an 88-6 Saeima vote. Saeima elections in October 2002 brought in a conservative majority, led by the New Era Party. 

Though Latvian-Russian relations were rocky in the 1990s, tensions have eased and cooperation has increased since the citizenship law was amended in 1998 to meet European standards. In May 2002, the Saeima also repealed legislation requiring that political candidates be proficient in Latvian, removing a significant irritant to Latvia’s NATO and EU accession negotiations; expected by May 2004. 

Current law grants citizenship to all Latvian natives born after August 21, 1991. Controversy persists, however, over the disenfranchisement of nearly half-a-million adults, many of whom have not applied because of the high cost of registration and the language proficiency requirement. The Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has criticized Latvia’s high rate of disenfranchisement, but has backed Latvian legislation mandating that 60 percent of a minority school’s curriculum be taught in Latvian beginning in 2004.

Latvia-Russian relations have also been strained by Latvia’s prosecutions of former KGB agents accused of involvement with Soviet-era killing and deportation of Latvians. Several Latvian citizens have been convicted and dozens are queued for trial. Russia has condemned the vigor with which Latvia has tried the former agents, and characterizes the prosecutions as violating human rights. 

Latvia is on good terms with its Baltic Sea neighbors. In particular, it cooperates closely with Lithuania and Estonia on the coordination of education systems, the integration of the Baltic stock markets into the Alliance of Nordic Exchanges (NOREX), agreements on security and trade, and the creation of a Baltic energy market. The Nordic and Baltic states have cooperated under the NB8 (formerly “five-plus-three”) agreement since 1992, discussing common economic, foreign policy, and regional issues. 

Israel has diplomatic representation in Latvia through its Riga-based Ambassador to the Baltic States. Relations have been strong, and have included several diplomatic visits to Israel. In 2000, Latvian and Israeli Foreign Ministry officials met in Jerusalem to discuss cooperation in Holocaust research, legal matters, economics, culture, and education. The Speaker of the Saeima paid a formal visit to Israel in 2001. Latvia strongly condemned the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic tone of the UN’s 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa.

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Economic Situation

Though Latvia has few natural resources, with the exception of timber products, it was highly industrialized under Soviet rule, and was badly hurt by the severing of Soviet economic ties. Latvia’s economic downturn continued through the mid-1990s, while its location and weak banking laws made it a center for money laundering. Other setbacks included a 1995 banking crisis, a large budget deficit, and Russia’s 1998 economic crisis that precipitated the closure of many Latvian enterprises and subsequent losses by Latvian banks. The economy has since recovered, and its strong growth rate is expected to continue due to its entry into the EU and NATO.

Latvia has done much to restructure its economy since 1994, with a majority of enterprises now privatized. Its port facilities and transportation network are valuable assets as Latvia continues to modernize its industry and agriculture while enacting banking and investment reforms specific to EU accession requirements. Latvia’s primary “industry” is handling transit trade between the successor states and Western Europe. A large part of the economy also consists of providing related storage, finishing, assembly and financial services. Due in large part to the success of market reforms, foreign investment has risen substantially, and is expected to increase with Latvia’s adoption of the euro in 2004. 

Latvia currently operates under free-trade agreements with EU member nations (its largest trading partners are Germany and the UK) and trades substantially with Lithuania and Russia. Latvia has worked to reduce its dependency on trade with Russia, which in 2001 constituted nine percent of total volume, and Latvia became the first Baltic state to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) in February 1999. 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) ceased initiating new projects in Latvia in 2002. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed 26 new projects, worth approximately $250 million, in direct loans since January 2001. The EBRD’s strategy in Latvia focuses on environmental projects, privatization, and ongoing reform in the banking sector. The World Bank anticipates a higher living standard in the long term.

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Jewish Communal Life & Anti-Semitism  

Jewish presence in Latvia was first recorded in the early 14^th century, referenced in German Livonian law prohibiting Jewish residency in the area. Adopted by the territory’s subsequent rulers, Sweden and Poland, this policy allowed Jews only temporary residency rights in the area in order to promote manufacturing and trade. Jews were prohibited from owning land in Latvia through the 17^th century, with the exception of the region of Piltene. When the country’s discriminatory laws were relaxed in the early 1700s, Jews built their first synagogue (in Aizpute) and cemetery (in Jelgava) on Latvian soil. Polish authorities in the 1740s expelled all Jews from the region, but following Russia’s 1795 annexation of Latvia, Tsar Paul reinstated Jewish residency rights in 1799. 

Latvia’s Jewish community numbered 100,000 prior to World War II. During the war, German forces and Latvian collaborators killed 95 percent of Latvia’s 100,000 Jews. About 2,000 Jews died fighting German and pro-Nazi forces in Latvia, and Israel has recognized 93 non-Jewish Latvians as “Righteous Among the Nations” for risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Because of the devastating effects of the German occupation, only half of the present-day Jewish community has roots in Latvia, and only 60 percent hold Latvian citizenship. The number of Jews obtaining Latvian citizenship is increasing, however, as Latvia prepares to join the EU.

The vast majority of Latvia’s Jews live in Riga. Rabbi Natan Barkhan, Chief Rabbi of Riga and Latvia, runs the Central Synagogue, Riga’s only synagogue. 

Latvia is home to about 20 Jewish organizations offering a broad range of services. The Riga Jewish community is unified under the Council of Jewish Organizations. The Council of Latvian Jewish Communities and Congregations also represent them nationally. Current projects of the Jewish community include the rebuilding of the Dubnov School – for which the Jewish community received prime property from the Riga City Council – and housing for the elderly in Jūrmala. The Jewish community of Riga also has its own monthly newspaper, Gesharim (bridges), and a matzo bakery. Latvia also boasts the only Jewish hospital in the former Soviet Union.

The Riga Jewish Community Center (JCC/Alef) was established in 2000 with the support of the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC/ “Joint”). The JCC provides educational and cultural programs for children, youth, and families, including a cinema, musical clubs and a sports program. An ORT technology center for adults was opened in the Center in 2002, with funding from several foundations and JDC. 

The JCC also runs a meals-on-wheels program for the elderly funded by the JDC. The Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS (FJC) runs a daily soup kitchen in Riga and prepares 300 food packages for the homebound each month.

The two Jewish day schools in Riga – the Dubnov School, which is a secular day school, and Chabad’s Jewish Private School – teach close to 500 students combined. The Dubnov School, founded in 1989 as the first Jewish school in the Soviet Union, operates in conjunction with the Israeli Ministry of Culture, and houses an ORT technology center. 

Several Jewish youth programs operate in Latvia. In addition to Chabad’s Jewish Private School, the FJC also operates summer camps for two months of the year. The Union of Jewish Youth of Latvia was founded in 1994 to promote Jewish education, address anti-Semitism, and develop community youth leadership. JDC’s Club Ilan youth group currently has over 200 members. Latvia’s Shalom Club, sponsored by the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) and the Israeli Embassy, conducts community education programs and charity projects. A Center for Judaic Studies was established in 1998 at the University of Latvia. 

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is currently funding a partnership between the Riga JCC and the St. Louis Jewish Family and Children’s Services, of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. International partnerships have also revitalized the Bikur Holim Jewish hospital, established in 1924, which lost its designation as a Jewish hospital in the 1930s. Most of its staff and patients were later killed in the Holocaust. It became a Jewish hospital once again in 1991. The hospital’s partners include St. John’s Wood Synagogue in London, Stockholm’s University Clinic, B’nai B’rith Europe, and Jewish Health care International. 

The Latvian government has a positive relationship with the Jewish community and provides it financial and material support. The government has provided the buildings for the Jewish day school and JCC as well as teacher salaries. In conjunction with the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, the Latvian and U.S. governments agreed in October 2002 to create frameworks for the protection and preservation of cultural sites. The book Distinguished Jews of Latvia was released in September 2003, and was distributed to Latvia’s major libraries and schools throughout Riga.

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Holocaust Legacy

Latvia’s progress in assessing its role in the Holocaust has been hindered by domestic pressure to recognize Latvian veterans who collaborated with the Nazis against occupying Soviet forces. 

The late-1990s saw significant debate over the history of the wartime Latvian Waffen SS Legion. Annual marches of Legion veterans through Riga included high-level politicians, and in 1999, the Saeima declared March 16 “Soldier’s Day” – dedicated to all Latvian soldiers who died during WWII. Then-President Guntis Ulmanis criticized the holiday and in early 2000 the Saeima voted to drop March 16 in favor of November 11, the date of the World War I armistice that led to Latvia’s first period of independence. Riga’s city council banned official marches in March 2002 and 2003, though smaller demonstrations continue. In September 2003, Saeima members and the state minister of culture celebrated the consecration of a cemetery for SS Legion veterans near Riga.

Since 1990, July 4th has been designated as the official Holocaust Memorial Day in Latvia. In 1994, a Holocaust memorial was erected near the ruins of the Riga Choral synagogue, where 300 Jews hiding in the basement were burned to death by Nazi forces in July 1941. In 1941, the Nazis and Latvian police also marched thousands of Jews out of Riga into the forests and executed them. An extensive monument in the Bikernieki forest was dedicated in 2001 to mark the massacre site of 30,000 Jews, and another monument in the Rumbula forest opened in 2002. The memorial at Rumbula, dedicated to the memory of 25,000 Jews, sparked controversy (later resolved) by acknowledging the local population’s involvement in the massacre; President Vike-Freiberga spoke at the unveiling. Recognized Holocaust sites in Latvia for which there is no monument include Daugavpils, Latvia’s second-largest city, where over 11,000 Jews were executed in 1941. 

President Ulmanis and the Saeima have formally apologized for Latvia’s role in the Holocaust, but the Simon Wiesenthal Center has condemned the lack of war crimes prosecutions in Latvia, and in July 2002 launched “Operation: Last Chance,” calling on Baltic citizens to identify suspected Nazi collaborators for monetary rewards. The initiative provoked controversy, as many Latvians continue to regard World War II as a war against the Soviet Union in which the Germans were their liberators.

The Latvian government investigated Konrad Kalejs and Karlis Ozols, both of whom were accused of collaboration with the Nazis while serving in the SS-affiliated Arajs Commando, but both suspects died in 2001. Neither was extradited to Latvia, but Latvia has pledged to continue the investigations. 

The Latvian History Commission researches crimes against humanity committed in Latvia between 1940 and 1956 under the alternating Soviet and Nazi regimes, and developed a curriculum for teachers and materials for high schools. Study of the Holocaust is compulsory in secondary schools. The Commission held a conference on Holocaust research in 2001, in conjunction with the University of Latvia’s Center for Judaic Studies. 

Several recent cultural projects and exhibitions in Latvia have addressed Holocaust themes. In May 2000, the exhibition “Anne Frank – A History for Today” opened at Riga’s Museum of War. In April 2001, the exhibit opened at the Jewish Community Center, with President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in attendance. The president also spoke at the July 4, 2001 Holocaust Memorial Day, the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust of Latvian Jews. 

In addition to co-sponsoring the Holocaust studies conference, the Center for Judaic Studies helped mount a traveling exhibit of Latvian Jewish history called “History, Tragedy, Revival,” sponsored by the Latvian Foreign Ministry. In 2001, a Latvian Jewish businessman funded the publication of 5,000 copies of Elie Wiesel’s Night in Latvian for distribution to Latvian schools. 

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Anti-Semitism

The neo-fascist Russian National Unity (RNE) movement has branches in seven Latvian cities and towns, and a local branch called the Kolovrat (“Swastika”) movement.

In June 2000, a memorial tablet was torn out at the Rumbula Holocaust memorial, and in July, swastikas were painted on the main Jewish memorial in Riga – a synagogue that had been rebuilt after World War II – a day before Latvia’s commemoration of Jewish Holocaust victims. In June 2002, the Riga City Council allowed the construction of a gas station on the foundation of a synagogue destroyed by the Nazis, leading to protests from the Jewish community. In September 2003, the Bikernieki Forest cemetery in Riga was vandalized; more than 20 gravestones were overturned and others were defaced with swastikas and Nazi slogans. Several teenagers were arrested for the Bikernieki crime in October 2003. 

Latvia expressed strong support for the first OSCE International Conference on Anti-Semitism, in Vienna, June 2003, and continues to be involved in the process.

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U.S. Policy

The United States, which never recognized the Soviet annexation of the Baltics, quickly reestablished full diplomatic relations with Latvia in September 1991. That December, the United States “graduated” Latvia and the other Baltic states from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, and subsequently granted the Baltics permanent normal trade relations.

The United States works closely with Latvia as part of the U.S.-Northern Europe Initiative, building cooperation among the countries of the Baltic Sea region. Bilateral economic ties have expanded steadily since the U.S.-Latvia investment treaty of 1995, and the signing of a Charter of Partnership in 1998. Other signed agreements include the 1997 Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking, money laundering and transnational crime, and agreements in energy sector and environmental policy cooperation, reached in February 2000. 

In 2000, a Latvian-American Business Forum in Riga resulted in pledges to upgrade bilateral trade and business relations, and U.S. involvement in Latvian-Russian trade relations. U.S. aid through the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) program was discontinued in 1999 in response to Latvia’s democratic and economic progress.

The United States has engaged the Latvian government on the issue of land restitution and has been involved in public education programs on the Holocaust in Latvia. The United States has also expressed strong support for Latvia’s accession to the EU and NATO.

In response to a request by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell following the events of September 11, 2001, the Latvian government launched a campaign against terrorism including increased domestic security measures and pledges of assistance to global efforts. Latvia was one of ten NATO aspirants to back the U.S. position on Iraq in March 2003, and joined the other Baltic states in the “coalition of the willing” – countries supporting the U.S.-led force in Iraq from spring 2003. Latvia contributed troops and has pledged additional material support for the operation.

The Baltic states and over 30 other countries refused to sign, by June 2003, an Article 98 agreement with the United States exempting the U.S. military from the International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) jurisdiction. Retaliating in July, the United States suspended military aid to the Baltics and 32 other countries.

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