Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-486"
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"en.20090203.24.2-486"2
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"Mr President, we are discussing the Latvian case precisely because it is unique. The Latvian non-citizens are not nationals of any state and they have no right to participate in any elections. All adult bearers of the status of non-citizens of Latvia were permanent residents of the country in the early 1990s. The last time they had the opportunity to enjoy voting rights was 19 years ago, i.e. in March 1990, when the Supreme Council of Latvia was elected. One and a half years later, the very same Supreme Council deprived one third of its own voters of their voting rights. This is a unique case in parliamentary history.
The Commissioner spoke only of the integration of non-citizens into society and their naturalisation. However, such an approach puts things into reverse order: non-citizens are already a part of society – 32% were born locally – and for many, the procedure of applying for citizenship of their own country is humiliating and they do not go through naturalisation on principle.
For the Latvian political elite, depriving this essential part of the minority population of their basic rights is an instrument for preserving power. They are using the old method of divide and rule and, therefore, action on behalf of Latvia’s non-citizens must be taken by the European Union.
I am convinced that fundamental values of the EU, such as non-discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin and participatory democracy, must take precedence over national competences."@en1
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