Ethnic Russians in Latvia: A Case Study in Integration

About

Following the accession of the European Union and NATO, Latvia is faced with the challenge of integrating ethnic Russians into Latvian society. The Government of Latvia has developed a program which seeks to address integration problems in all spheres of life, including training in the Latvian language, naturalization, and the reform of the educational system. The goal of integration is a consolidated civil society based on shared principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for and observance of human rights. As Minister of Justice, Dr. Vladis Birkavs is one of those responsible for outlining and fulfilling this plan.