The Effect of Fears of Immigrants on The Decision Making in Latvia: a Boost or an Obstacle to Development?
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- The Effect of Fears of Immigrants on The Decision Making in Latvia: a Boost or an Obstacle to Development?
10/01/2008
Place of publication: this article was included in the Vidzeme University College publication “Effect of migration on European Political thought and decision-making process”
Year of publication: 2007
Language: English
Immigration has been a taboo for mainstream politicians due to the sensitivity of the topic based on Soviet legacy. In the last years the situation has changed only slightly with businesses pushing a debate on the urgent need for immigrants in several sectors that suffer from the shortage of labour due to emigration from Latvia. Nevertheless, the fears of immigration continue to have a negative impact on the decision-making in the country in many aspects. The government prepares migration policy documents in line with the public opinion that is hostile towards immigrants. In addition to the legacy of Soviet migration policy, public opinion about immigrants is influenced by the integration experience of the Russian-speaking population. This seems to have formed the allegation that immigrants can only cause problems. Thus, the possible slowdown of economic growth and continued high inflation is preferred over opening up to foreign workers to compensate for emigration from Latvia. The discussions on migration among politicians and the public mainly focus on the question whether Latvia wants or does not want immigrants, with a strong inclination to build a ‘fortress Latvia’. The discourse of rights-based approach to immigration and clear criteria for the integration of immigrants is missing. Whereas the public largely prefers immigrants from neighbouring countries to immigrants from Africa and Asia (or anyone who could look and behave differently), a part of the society is blinded by nationalistic slogans worried about the increase of the Russian-speaking population in Latvia.
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