In total More than 8,700 Russian citizens with residence permits in Latvia are candidates for repatriation to Russia for failing the Latvian language testThe Latvian National Educational Center (VISC) reported on Tuesday that the Baltic country’s legal provisions apply to granting an extension of their stay.
The question of a possible mass repatriation of Russian citizens has sparked debates on social networks about “deportations” from the Baltic country.Member of NATO and the European Union.
The situation comes as Latvia awaits the formation of a new government, for which prime minister-elect Evika Siliņa is trying to secure a deal between her party, the centrist-liberal New Unit (JV), the centrist Union of Greens and Peasants (ZZS). forge ) and the Progressive Social Democrats (Pro), who have a narrow majority of 52 votes in Parliament.
The number of Russian citizens, some of whom are elderly, who 61% of the 11,301 people who took the Latvian language exam and failed are affected by possible repatriation.
Only 39% of those tested passed between April 11 and the end of Augustthe VISC said in a statement.
Together with those who have registered but have not taken the exam, the potential candidates for deportation amount to just over 8,700 people.
Of those who failed 6,501 people applied to take the test again, but those who failed had their residence permits revoked on September 2 in any case.
They now face expulsion orders from December 2 unless a proposal to amend the rules is passed, giving them two years to pass the language test and be granted temporary residency in Latvia.
The outgoing government He made the proposal on August 22 and there is already a citizens’ initiative calling for it not to prosper and urging the executive to continue repatriations if necessary.
There are comments on local media and social networks about the strict requirements of the language test and that the repatriation measures would affect vulnerable and elderly people who pose no threat to the security of the country, apart from being people who have lived their whole lives spent life in Latvia.
Russian citizens whose residence permits are not renewed also lose their social benefits, such as public health insurance. EFE