The Latvian Interior Ministry denied plans for mass deportation of Russians

The Latvian authorities are not going to carry out mass deportation of Russians from the country, but now such a threat remains for about 500 citizens. This was announced on October 16 by the head of the Latvian Interior Ministry, Rihards Kozlovskis.

"We do not envisage any mass expulsions. There are individual cases and, most likely, they will still be. But each such decision will be made individually," the minister said on Latvian Radio 4.

Kozlovskis clarified that 500 Russian citizens may already be poisoned to their homeland due to non-compliance with the requirement to obtain a permanent residence permit (residence permit).

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On October 11, Irina Volk, the official representative of the Russian Interior Ministry, spoke about the Russian authorities' assistance to 800 Russian citizens who were deported from Latvia due to ignorance of the official language. In addition, she recalled that since 2006, a state program has been in operation to facilitate the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to the Russian Federation.

Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian branch of the International Committee for the Protection of Human Rights, told Izvestia on October 16 that the committee would send an appeal to the United Nations (UN) over the deportation of Russians from Latvia.

On October 14, 74-year-old Russian citizen Grigory Yeremenko, who was deported after 40 years of living in Latvia, told Izvestia that the authorities had deprived him of his pension and permanent place of residence, and the reason was the inability to pass the €52 Latvian language proficiency exam. Yeremenko stressed that this deportation is necessary for the authorities in order to expel Russian speakers.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.