12 June 2004 12:19
Latvian minister on talks with Russian counterpart, dual citizenship
The Latvian interior minister has told a Latvian newspaper he is hopeful about meeting his Russian counterpart in the
nearest future and has commended Latvia's increased political weight following its EU accession. When asked to
comment on a recent proposal to prohibit civil servants from keeping citizenship of countries other than Latvia, Eriks
Jekabsons also shared his personal experience of giving up his dual citizenship upon entering the Latvian political
scene. The minister also commented on the education reform, saying his task was to guarantee public order. The following
is an excerpt from the interview by Abik Elkin, entitled "Jekabsons: the public is being programmed" and
published in the newspaper Vesti Segodnya on 8 June; subheadings inserted editorially:
"I am under pressure from all sides. Some are demanding I deal mercilessly with the opponents of the [education]
reform, others are certain that they can do anything and remain invincible. But I try not to give in to this pressure.
The most important thing for the police is to guarantee order and to prevent physical confrontation. I must admit that
the situation in the country is very difficult due to the [education] reform issue in 2004", the head of the
Interior Ministry and the leader of the First Party of Latvia (LPP), Eriks Jekabsons, said yesterday. [Passage
omitted]
Talks planned with Russian minister
[Interviewer] Mr Jekabsons, when taking up the post of the head of the Interior Ministry you were planning to meet
and to develop a dialogue with your Russian counterpart. Is there hope?
[Jekabsons] There is not only hope but also certainty that in the very near future I will be able to take part in
discussions with the head of the Russian Interior Ministry. We have a common border and common problems of fighting
crime and new challenges. In other words, with international terrorism and the growing drug traffic. And in general our
voice carries more weight since Latvia's EU accession. I regularly meet at dinners (after EU summits) interior
ministers of all other EU countries. I had excellent talks with mayors and leaders of police in Palermo and Sicily. This
Italian province has accumulated substantial experience in fighting the Mafia. We on our side will also be able to share
experience in fighting organized crime. I have developed very good personal contacts with Italian colleagues. I hope to
meet Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Dual citizenship
[Interviewer] What do you think about the bill advanced by the People's Party about prohibiting civil servants
from having dual citizenship?
[Jekabsons] I was a dissident and had to emigrate to the USA and received American citizenship. But when I returned
to Latvia and decided to go into politics I at once gave up my citizenship. Even before I was elected to parliament!
Even the American embassy was quite surprised by such a step on my part, because people very rarely give up US
citizenship.
[Passage omitted]
[Vesti Segodnya] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
