Latvia's Russian 'non-citizens'

The World War II memorial in Riga divides public opinion. Some see it as a symbol for the Soviet victory over fascism, whilst others - mostly Latvians - consider it as a symbol of the subsequent Soviet occupation.

Latvia's second-largest city Daugavpils is geographically and socially detached from Riga, with a population of over 50 percent ethnic Russians. The Kremlin has been keen to politicize the issue of non-citizens, with many fearing a similar separatism scenario to the one in Ukraine playing out in Latvia.

Daugavpils has a population of just under 100,000 - a decrease of almost 10 percent since 2009 as people leave in the hope of better lives in western Europe. Daugavpils has also been portrayed as a potential hotbed for separatism.

Evgeny Drobat, a member of the Communist Party in the years during the transition to independence, told DW that he refuses to recognize Latvia's occupation - a prerequisite for taking the Latvian naturalization exam. He voted against the law which would establish many Russian-speakers as "non-citizens."

Evgeny shows his "non-citizen" passport, which includes the title "alien" under his picture. This denies him full voting rights, entry to various professions, residency and working rights in the EU - just a few of almost 100 legal restrictions.

Riga - the cosmopolitan capital of Latvia - has seen a 13-percent decrease in its population since joining the EU. Even though official language is Latvian, Russian is spoken predominantly in the streets. Alexandr Aleksandrov, himself an "alien," thinks it’s all part of a bigger problem. "A lot of Russians who came here during the occupation were aggressively pushed out of society," he told DW.

"I don’ t feel victimized [by the status], I don't feel that separate, but in general I feel on the sidelines. I was thinking how this affected me, my vision; probably it did a lot." Alexandr maintains a level-headed approach. "The fact that Latvia was annexed legally, albeit using force, doesn’t make it any better."

Baltic states were hit hard during the 2008 financial crash. Severe austerity contributed to the rise of social problems and a spike in emigration and subsequent depopulation. "Non-citizens," however, are denied working rights in the EU, among other legal restrictions.

This memorial in Riga is dedicated to those who stood at the barricades in 1991. "Many Russians stood together with Latvians, and now they have to prove their loyalty?" said Aleksei Vasiljev, a teacher in Daugavpils. Aleksei, however, also said that the Russian-speakers in Daugavpils have "two presidents - one of them is Putin."

Yelena Vecena, director of a school in Daugavpils, says that "language is not an obstacle to those who want to learn and to communicate." To become a Latvian citizen, it's necessary to take a naturalization exam, covering the basics of the constitution and language skills. The key question, however, is: "Do you recognize the Soviet occupation of Latvia?" For many, this remains a moral obstacle.