Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "Ethnic Russians make up a third of Latvia's 2.4 million residents, including some 550,000 without Latvian citizenship." Latvian Lawmaker Pays Ethnic Russians to Leave RIGA, Aug 30, 2001 -- (dpa) A member of the Latvian parliament, Janis Leja, said on Thursday he is paying Russian families to leave Latvia and move back to Russia. Leja, a Social Democrat, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that he paid a Russian family 300 U.S. dollars on Thursday - a little over the average monthly salary in Latvia - and 1,000 dollars recently to another family. He said it was "a practical way to eliminate reasons for conflict". "There are many who would like to move to Russia, but lack the means," Leja said. "Even Russia has said it would be glad to get these people back, but the Latvian government is too shy to do anything," he added. Ethnic Russians make up a third of Latvia's 2.4 million residents, including some 550,000 without Latvian citizenship. Latvia, a former Soviet republic, has come under international criticism for the treatment of its Russian minority, though the European Union (EU) has praised naturalization legislation introduced during the past year. Leja said international aid was needed to continue his initiative to enable more Russian families to leave. (C)2001. dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
