Latvia Country Page

 

   

Latvia Data Latvia Summary Reports: NCSJ report (below) CIA World Factbook U.S. State Dept. - background U.S. State Dept. - Human Rights U.S. State Dept. - Religious Freedom Latvian Embassy U.S. Embassy Riga About NCSJ Country Reports Return to Directory

Population: 2.2 million Ethnic Composition: 57.7% Latvian, 29.6% Russian, 4.1% Belarusian, 2.7% Ukrainian, 2.5% Polish, 1.4% Lithuanian, 2% other Religion: predominantly Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Jewish population: 13,000 2009 Aliyah (emigration to Israel): 393 Size: 64,589 sq km Capital: Riga Major cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Liepâja, Jelgava  Freedom House Rating: Free

Currency: 0.50 lat = $1  GDP: $33.98 billion (2008 est.) GDP per capita: $17,300 (2008 est.) GDP Growth: -4.6% (2008 est.) Head of State: President Valdis Zatlers Head of Government: Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis Foreign Minister:  Maris Riekstins Ambassador to United States: Andrejs Pildegovics U.S. Ambassador to Latvia:  Judith G. Garber Chronology of all U.S. envoys to Latvia

SUMMARY

Latvia’s impressive progress in managing a difficult transition to a Western-style political and economic model since regaining its independence in 1991 culminated in 2004, when it became a full member of both the European Union (EU) and NATO. Overcoming an initial dependence on Russia and various crises in the 1990s, Latvia has posted impressive economic growth since 2000. Although still the EU’s poorest country, Latvia is also its fastest growing economy.

The Republic of Latvia enjoys strong ties with its Baltic and Nordic neighbors, and with the United States. The Russian-Latvian relationship has also improved in recent years, but remains complicated by persistent tensions over Latvia’s slow integration of its large Russian-speaking minority (an estimated 400,000 of whom still lack citizenship),by sharply diverging views on Russia’s wartime role in Latvia, and by repeated nationalist attempts to commemorate Latvian Waffen SS veterans, which also concerns Latvia’s small Jewish community.

Latvia’s once-large Jewish population was devastated by Soviet and German invasions and occupations during World War II. While the government has made significant progress in recognizing Jewish issues and commemorating the Holocaust in Latvia, problems remain with regard to property restitution, attacks by skinheads, and vandalism of Jewish sites. Roughly half of the country’s current Jewish community has Latvian roots or citizenship, with most Latvian Jews living in the capital city of Riga. The Jewish community is active, well-organized, and works in conjunction with American and Israeli organizations. Latvia maintains full and warm diplomatic relations with Israel.

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LATVIA

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

Slightly larger than West Virginia, Latvia lies between its fellow Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania. Demographic issues dominate: out of Latvia’s 2.3 million residents, only about 59 percent (approximately 1.3 million) are ethnic Latvians. Russian-speaking Soviet-era settlers originally from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine form an estimated one third of the population. Naturalization rates among Russian speakers accelerated in the run up to Latvia’s 2004 accession to the European Union, with an estimated 100,000+ residents naturalized by late 2005. However, Latvians are a minority in six of their country’s seven largest cities, and about one fifth of Latvia’s current residents are not citizens (estimated at about 400,000), the bulk of them Russian speakers. The relatively slow integration of this large linguistic minority has caused ethnic tensions between Russian speakers and ethnic Latvians, and has affected Latvia’s relations with neighboring Russia.

A Baltic people long ruled by Germans, Swedes, and Poles, Latvia came under Tsarist Russian rule in the early 18th century. After a brief period of independence after World War I as a parliamentary republic, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and forcibly made into a Soviet Republic. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet annexation. Soviet rule brought brutal ethnic and political purges in which many tens of thousands of Latvians were executed, deported, or imprisoned. While many Latvians collaborated with Soviet forces and joined the Red Army, others welcomed and collaborated with Nazi Germany as the lesser evil when it invaded the USSR in 1941. German occupation led to the near-total destruction of the historic Latvian Jewish community and to large-scale recruitment of Latvian nationalists into German armed units, including the notorious Waffen SS. Soviet forces retook Latvia in 1944, leading to a new round of purges, deportations, and emigration. Postwar Soviet policy led to the deliberate resettlement in Latvia of hundreds of thousands of Russian speaking industrial workers and active and retired Soviet military and security personnel, whose numbers reduced ethnic Latvians to a bare majority (52 percent) in their own country by 1989. Gorbachev’s policies of glasnost and perestroika allowed mass-based reformist and nationalist groups to reemerge in the late 1980s, leading to Latvia’s declaration of independence in 1990, which was recognized by Moscow and the world community during the break-up of the USSR in 1991. The last Russian troops left in 1994.

Following independence, Latvia struggled with reasserting and defining its nationality and citizenship policies in the face of many Russian speakers unenthusiastic about learning Latvian and recalcitrant in accepting their new minority status in post-Soviet Latvia. The question of Latvian citizenship evolved into an international issue during the 1990s. Latvia initially offered automatic citizenship to pre-war Latvians and their descendants, while other residents had to meet requirements for language proficiency. Pressure from Russia and Europe moved Latvia to amend its initial policies, although the question of Latvian language proficiency as a precondition for citizenship remains a potent political issue, given the persistence of Russian among many Latvian residents.

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Political Situation

Latvia today is a stable parliamentary democracy, and is ranked as “Free” by Freedom House. Basic civil liberties are guaranteed by its constitution and are recognized in practice by the government. The 1991 Latvian Constitution supplemented the original 1922 version. It provides for a unicameral, 100-seat parliament (Saeima) which elects the President to a four year term, who in turn appoints a Prime Minister and a Supreme Court. Parliamentary deputies serve four year terms. Aigars Kalvitis has served as Prime Minister since December 2004, and Vaira Vike-Freiberga, a respected academic and former resident of Canada, has served two terms as President since 1999, with the next parliamentary vote on the presidency due in July 2007. Saeima elections in October 2006 were a victory for Kalvitis’ ruling centrist coalition, making him Latvia’s first sitting prime minister to retain his position after elections. The October 2006 elections also saw two minor parties with strong Russian support gain parliamentary seats for the first time, possibly reflecting the growing electoral clout of Latvia’s naturalized Russian speakers, now estimated at over 100,000.

Current law grants citizenship to all Latvian natives born after August 21, 1991. Controversy persists, however, over the legal status of an estimated 400,000 residents, mostly Russian speakers, who 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 non-citizenship among its residents, but has backed Latvian legislation mandating that 60 percent of a minority school’s curriculum be taught in Latvian beginning in 2004. The OSCE, UN, and other international organizations have rejected as unfounded earlier Russian allegations of systemic violations of the human rights of Latvia’s Russian speaking residents.

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FOREIGN POLICY

Latvia's 2004 accession to the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) achieved the country's main goals in terms of institutional membership.

Latvia is on good terms with its Baltic Sea neighbors, and participates actively in the Baltic Assembly, the Baltic Council of Ministers, the Nordic Council, and the Council of the Baltic Sea States. 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, the creation of a Baltic energy market, and deployment of joint Baltic infantry and naval units based near Riga. The Nordic and Baltic states have cooperated under the NB8 agreement since 1992, discussing common economic, foreign policy, and regional issues.

Since joining NATO in 2004, Latvia has participated in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, and hosted the NATO summit in Riga in November 2006.

Diplomatic relations between Israel and Latvia were established in early 1992. Israel is the only Middle Eastern country with a Latvian embassy (open since 1995); in addition, there are two Latvian Honorary Consuls in Israel. Israel opened its embassy in Riga in late 1992. Relations have been strong and marked by frequent high-level consultations and official visits. Latvia’s then-President Guntis Ulmanis visited Israel in 1998; current Israeli President Moshe Katsav visited Latvia in September 2005 and toured Holocaust memorial sites together with the Latvian President, Vaira Vike-Freiberga. She in turn paid a reciprocal state visit to Israel in February 2006. During her visit, the Latvian President visited Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Nazareth, laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, and met with the President of Israel and other senior Israeli officials. Latvian Foreign Minister Pabriks made his first official visit to Israel in February 2007 and met with senior Israeli officials to promote closer bilateral economic ties. While Latvian-Israeli trade volume is not high, Israeli tourism to Latvia is growing, boosted by the 2003 opening of a direct Tel-Aviv – Riga air route. In 2005, 168 Latvian-Israeli joint ventures were registered in Latvia.

In early 2005, the United States threatened the imposition of unspecified sanctions against Latvian financial institutions. It accused the Latvian authorities of failing to take adequate steps to combat money laundering in the Baltic republic. Latvia has one of the world’s highest volumes of clearing transactions denominated in US dollars, many of them suspect. Analysts have argued that Latvia’s location next to Russia, large Russian minority, and weak banking laws made it attractive as a money laundering center for Russian organized crime groups in the 1990s. In response, the Latvian government established a taskforce chaired by Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis to coordinate anti-money laundering efforts and criminal investigations of Latvian law enforcement agencies. Some Latvian business leaders have argued that the scale of the problem has been exaggerated.

Due to Latvia’s substantial Russian-speaking minority and history of Russian domination, its modern relations with Russia also affect its domestic politics. Initial Latvian-Russian relations were rocky in the 1990s, but tensions eased and cooperation increased after Latvia amended its citizenship law in 1998 to meet European standards and address Russian concerns. Latvian-Russian relations also were strained in the 1990s by Latvia’s prosecutions of a number of retired KGB agents - ethnic Russian residents of Latvia - accused of involvement in the Soviet-era killing and deportation of Latvians. In 2002, the Saeima repealed legislation requiring that political candidates be proficient in Latvian, removing a significant irritant to Latvia’s NATO and EU accession negotiations.

Longstanding border issues between Russia and Latvia, complicated by Russia’s postwar annexation of a pre-war Latvian district and political friction over clashing assessments of wartime history, delayed the signing of a definitive border agreement, drafted and initialed in 1997, for ten years. Both countries nearly signed the agreement in May 2005, but the Russian government refused to sign at the last minute, citing what it claimed was official Latvian claims to Russian territory, subsequently denied by Latvia. Finally, after the Latvian parliament formally abandoned any land claims against Russia in February 2007, the Latvian and Russian Prime Ministers met in Moscow on March 27, 2007 to sign the bilateral Border Agreement. Latvian Prime Minister Kalvitis met with Russian President Putin after the signing, and both leaders expressed guarded hopes for improved bilateral relations, especially in the economic realm, after what Kalvitis called “the last ten years of stagnation” between Latvia and Russia. The EU and NATO welcomed the border treaty signing. Latvia is now the second Baltic state, after Lithuania, to sign a final border treaty with Russia, with only Estonia lacking a border agreement with Russia. Latvia’s Parliament ratified the border treaty on May 17, 2007.

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Economic Situation

With few natural resources, Latvia historically has benefited from its strategic location on East-West and North-South trade and energy transit routes, which has allowed it to profit by handling growing trade between Europe and the former Soviet states. Heavily industrialized by Soviet planners, Latvia initially suffered from the loss of its former Soviet markets and suppliers after independence, losing up to half of its GDP in the early 1990s. Latvia’s economic downturn continued through the mid-1990s, and included a 1995 banking crisis, a large budget deficit, and spillover from Russia’s 1998 economic crisis that precipitated the closure of many Latvian enterprises and subsequent losses by Latvian banks.

More recently, Latvia’s economy staged a strong recovery that continues today, boosted by consistent and vigorous economic reform policies at home, successful reorientation of exports towards Europe, and EU membership in 2004. Latvia has now reached the final stages of its transition to a market economy; Latvian economic growth currently is one of the best in the EU, with GDP growth in 2006 estimated at around 11 percent or more, and real per capita GDP now estimated at roughly double its 1995 level. However, persistent high rates of inflation, unemployment, and poverty, as well as high account deficits and a low GDP (by EU standards), remain economic vulnerabilities, and have delayed the introduction of the euro in Latvia until 2010. Likewise, Western suspicions that some Latvian banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.

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 World Bank has approved $415 million in projects for Latvia since its accession in 1992. The Latvian currency (lat) has been pegged to the euro since 2005.


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Jewish Communal Life & Anti-Semitism  

Jewish presence in Latvia was first recorded in the early 14th century, referenced in German Livonian law prohibiting Jewish residency in the area. Adopted by the territory’s subsequent Swedish and Polish rulers, 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 17th 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.

Despite subsequent restrictions, persecutions and expulsions (particularly during World War I) by Russian Tsars and then by the increasingly nationalistic and authoritarian pre-war Latvian government, Latvia’s Jewish community continued to grow, and numbered close to 100,000 prior to World War II. During the war, German forces and their nationalist Latvian collaborators killed an estimated 95 percent of Latvia’s Jews. About 2,000 Jews are believed to have died as partisans fighting German and pro-Nazi forces 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, Latvia’s Jewish community was reconstituted in part with Russian-speaking Jews from elsewhere in the postwar Soviet Union. Only about half of the present-day Jewish community has roots in Latvia, mostly Latvian Jewish wartime refugees who returned to Latvia after the war, and their descendants. Most, but not all, Latvian Jews hold Latvian citizenship, although this number continues to increase following Latvia’s 2004 accession to 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 serves as a national representative. 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 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 monthly food packages for the homebound.

Two Jewish day schools operate in Riga – the Dubnov School, a secular day school, and Chabad’s Jewish Private School. 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 a 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) helped to fund partnerships between American Jewish organizations and several Latvian hospitals and hospices in the 1990s. International partnerships, including the United States and Europe, have also helped to revitalize Latvia’s Bikur Holim Jewish hospital, established in 1924, most of whose staff and patients were later killed in the Holocaust. It reopened as a Jewish hospital again in 1991.

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 2002 to create frameworks for the protection and preservation of cultural sites. The book Distinguished Jews of Latvia was released in 2003 and was distributed to Latvia’s major libraries and schools throughout Riga. During an official visit to Israel in February 2007, Latvian Foreign Minister Pabriks accepted a commendation on behalf of Latvia from the Israeli Foreign Minister for Latvia’s achievements in Holocaust research. Since 1998, a Center for Judaic Studies has operated at the University of Latvia in Riga, funded by public and private grants from Latvian and foreign donors. The Center has enrolled several dozen students in its courses and lectures each year since opening.

In May 2007, Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga presented David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, with the Order of the Three Stars (Commander Class), Latvia’s highest honor, for Harris’ contribution to facilitating cooperation between Latvia and the U.S. The award was presented to Harris during the AJC’s annual dinner in Washington, D.C.


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Holocaust Legacy

Latvia’s progress in assessing its role in the Holocaust is undeniable, and senior Latvian officials have expressed their solidarity with its Latvian Jewish victims and with the State of Israel. At the same time, Jews in Latvia and elsewhere have shown concern over the nationalist view that the Germans liberated Latvia during World War II and were the lesser evil compared to the Soviets. Such attitudes explain perennial attempts by Latvian nationalists to recognize and honor the many Latvian veterans who collaborated with the Nazis against occupying Soviet forces. Many veterans schedule yearly demonstrations and marches on March 16 – known as Legionnaires’ Day—to commemorate the Latvian Waffen SS veterans. Highly controversial, these commemorations have drawn strong criticism from Israel, Russia and many Russian speakers in Latvia, who do not agree that the wartime Legionnaires were anti-Russian freedom fighters and not Nazi collaborators.

It is estimated that up to 50,000 Latvians died fighting the Soviets on the side of the Germans; overall, over one hundred thousand Latvians are believed to have fought on each side of the Eastern Front during the war. Latvian police battalions working with the Germans were instrumental in carrying out the Holocaust on Latvian territory during the war; likewise, wartime Latvia is believed to have had one of the largest per capita recruitment rates in the Waffen SS in Europe. It has been alleged - but not proven - that some Latvian SS Legionnaires participated in mass executions, round ups, and other Holocaust actions. The Latvian government strongly denies such allegations, but has admitted that some Latvian police who had participated in Holocaust actions did later join the Latvian SS Legion, adding that it will bring charges against any surviving perpetrators. Outside critics have noted that while Latvia has prosecuted several former Soviet functionaries for Communist-era crimes, no Nazi collaborators have been brought to trial since Latvian independence in 1991. Some Latvian Jewish community leaders have said that the belief that all Latvian Waffen SS were fighting for Latvian independence is a myth that should not be perpetuated.

The Latvian government earlier had 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. Latvia has pledged to continue the investigations.

After independence, serious debates over the history of the wartime Latvian Waffen SS Legion began in Latvia. Annual marches of Legion veterans through Riga at first included high-level politicians, and in 1999, the Saeima declared March 16 “Soldier’s Day” – dedicated to all Latvian soldiers who died during World War II. 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 declaration of independence in 1918. Riga’s city council banned official marches in 2002 and 2003, though smaller but still controversial demonstrations elsewhere have continued every March up to the present. In September 2003, Saeima members and the state minister of culture celebrated the consecration of a cemetery for SS Legion veterans near Riga. In March 2006, Latvian SS veterans chose to meet outside of Riga instead of holding their now-traditional march through the capital, which has provoked clashes with Russian-speaking demonstrators in the past. Earlier that month, Latvia’s President and Prime Minister urged Latvians to forego demonstrating on March 16 and to commemorate all of Latvia’s war dead on the official memorial day of November 11.

Since 1990, July 4 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. Also in 1941, the Nazis and Latvian police 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. One recognized Holocaust site in Latvia for which there is no monument is Daugavpils, Latvia’s second-largest city, where over 11,000 Jews were executed in 1941.

Although then-President Ulmanis and the Saeima had formally apologized for Latvia’s role in the Holocaust, the Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned the lack of war crimes prosecutions in Latvia, and in 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 History Commission has researched 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 Latvian President also spoke at the July 4, 2001 Holocaust Memorial Day, the 60th anniversary of the start of the Holocaust for Latvian Jews. President Vike-Freiberga helped organize a conference in July 2006 to mark the 65th anniversary of the start of the Holocaust in Latvia, held in Riga, and gave a keynote speech at the conference.

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.

However, problems in addressing Latvia’s Holocaust legacy remain. In January 2005, an official Latvian history book referred to Latvia’s largest wartime concentration camp at Salaspils, where it is believed more than 50,000 died, as a “corrective working camp.” In November 2006, the Latvian Parliament rejected a bill proposing compensating Latvia’s Jewish community for property lost during the German and Soviet occupations. The bill, proposed by the government, envisaged paying about 45 million euros over ten years to local Jewish organizations and returning properties that belonged to Jewish organizations before 1940. Many Latvian lawmakers opposed what they described as paying Latvian government moneys for the actions of bygone German and Soviet authorities. Most lawmakers abstained from the vote.


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Anti-Semitism

Latvia’s large Russian speaking community hosts local branches of the notoriously anti-Semitic neo-fascist Russian National Unity (RNE) movement, which is reportedly active in several Latvian cities and towns. The Latvian nationalist community has at times condemned Latvian Jews, many of whom are Russian speakers, as “occupiers” akin to Soviet-era Russian settlers; nationalists have also condemned official recognition of the Holocaust as allegedly minimizing Latvian suffering at the hands of the Soviets.

In 2000, a memorial tablet was torn out at the Rumbula Holocaust memorial, and swastikas were painted on a Riga synagogue a day before Latvia’s commemoration of Jewish Holocaust victims. In 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 2003, the Bikernieki Forest cemetery in Riga was vandalized, and several teenagers were arrested.

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.

In February 2005, five men pled guilty to damaging 40 tombstones in a Jewish cemetery in Riga in 2003, and received suspended sentences.

In March 2005, the city authorities of Lipaja licensed a gathering of former Latvian SS veterans, which was initiated by a nationalist group led by a known Holocaust denier.

In June 2005, the Latvian prosecutor’s office filed incitement charges against a nationalist newspaper that had published derogatory articles calling for the deportation of Russian speakers and Jews living in Latvia. In 2006, two Latvian parliament deputies known for nationalist and anti-Semitic views testified in support of the newspaper’s staff members, then on trial for inciting ethnic hatred.

In September 2005, two separate Holocaust memorials in the Bikernieki Forest near Riga were vandalized.

In late December 2005, vandals toppled a large Hanukkah menorah near the Israeli embassy in Riga, which was repaired and re-erected.

In May 2006, a Holocaust memorial which was to be unveiled in June was knocked down by vandals. The memorial honored the murder of 120 Jews in the town of Rezekne.

In 2006 and early 2007, a rash of attacks by local skinheads and alleged neo-Nazis on dark-skinned foreigners from Africa and Asia were reported in Riga. At least some of the attackers were charged with hate crimes and received prison sentences in early 2007. This was an important precedent, in that similar prior attacks were often described as “hooliganism” and resulted in suspended sentences or convictions on lesser charges. The United States, which never recognized the 1940 Soviet annexation of the Baltics, quickly reestablished full diplomatic relations with Latvia in September 1991. In December 1991, the United States “graduated” Latvia and the other two Baltic states from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment and granted the Baltics permanent normal trade relations.


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U.S. Policy

The U.S. and Latvia established close and productive relations in the 1990s, including ongoing dialogue and cooperation on counter-terrorism and non-proliferation issues. The United States worked closely with Latvia as part of the U.S.-Northern Europe Initiative that expanded 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 strongly supported and welcomed Latvia’s accession to the EU and NATO in 2004.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, the Latvian government responded to U.S. requests by undertaking counter-terrorism measures that included increased domestic security measures and pledges of assistance to U.S.-led 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 supporting the U.S.-led force in Iraq. Latvia currently has a small number of troops operating in Iraq, and supports U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Demonstrating close U.S.-Latvian ties, President Bush has visited Latvia twice, in May 2006 and again in November 2006.


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