Lawmakers are only allowed to use Latvian in the Saeima, according to the legislature’s new rules
A Latvian MP has been kicked out of a parliamentary session and could face further punishment for speaking Russian in violation of the legislature’s new rules, the head of the assembly has said.
The incident occurred on Thursday during discussions in the Saeima on a declaration to “eradicate the consequences” of the alleged “Russification” of Latvia, which authorities in Riga claim took place under Soviet rule from 1940 to 1991.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Latvia and its Baltic neighbors, Estonia and Lithuania, have intensified their efforts against alleged Russian influence. Riga has implemented travel restrictions targeting Russian citizens, banned vehicles with license plates from the country, and introduced a mandatory Latvian language test for long-term residents of Russian origin. Thousands who failed or refused the exam have been deported. The Kremlin has denounced the measures as “blatant discrimination against Russians.”
Aleksey Roslikov of the For Stability! party spoke out in parliament against the declaration being included on the agenda. The party represents the interests of Russian-speakers in the EU country, who make up 24.5% of its population, according to a 2021 census.
Read more Man arrested in EU state for providing Russian TV accessThe lawmaker criticized the growing marginalization of Russian speakers in Latvia, saying: “What is next? A law prohibiting Russian names for children because they sound Russian?”
Roslikov delivered his speech in Latvian, but concluded it with a phrase in Russian, proclaiming: “There are more of us, and Russian is our language.” The MP then displayed an obscene gesture to the audience.
The MP’s behavior outraged many of his colleagues, who instantly voted to expel him from the session of the parliament. The move was supported by 69 out 100 members of the legislature.
The speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mierina, said that Roslikov had shown “disrespect” to his fellow lawmakers and could face further punishment, including a ban on attending up to six more parliament sessions and a warning.
In late May, the Saeima voted in new regulations, according to which the MPs should only communicate in the parliament in the official – Latvian – language.
Roslikov later told the media he had no regrets, calling his outburst appropriate when someone is denied the right to speak their own language.
READ MORE: Baltic and Black seas are ‘NATO areas’ – bloc chief
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev shared the video from the Saeima on his page on X and praised the Latvian MP for standing up for the Russian language. On the eve of Russian Language Day, which is marked on June 6, “decent people accessibly explained everything to the die-hard Russophobes in their native, Russian language,” Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, wrote.
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