Russian aggression in Georgia should be a wake-up alarm to Latvia's sleeping Saeima. Daugavpils, Latvia's 2nd largest city, with a mostly Russian population, is geographically next to Russia, and psychically is Russian, and could be among the next in line.
Most people there, young and old, don't care to or want to speak Latvian, and don't feel an affinity for Latvia. Much of this can be blamed on the Russians themselves. That they feel left out of much of Latvia's recent economic boom, well, they have been left out. Daugavpils is still an economically challenged region.
Latvia's government could do better to improve the situation, and bring the district back into the fold, by increasing efforts to direct investment there, spur economic development, and improve educational opportunities.
Russia's claim to defend its citizens abroad presents a threat to both Latvia, and to the civilized world.
We don't need to live under the threat of Russian tanks rolling into Latvia to protect its citizens or businesses. Latvia (and the West) should revoke the visas of all Russian citizens living here, and send these people home, and ban all Russian investment. The state-less Russians here, well, they can make a choice, either Latvian citizenship and loyalty to the country, or go home to the east as well.
Stephan Eberhardt
Riga.
