Russian Minority and Border Issue in Baltic States

1. Historical background * Before the 18th speed of light Baltic region had quite few contacts with Russian culture and Ortodox civilization. neighbourhood was already integrated to the West And in that location was quite little uncouth in the history of Lithuania in integrity side and Estonia+Latvia in another(prenominal) side * Only since the end of the 18th deoxycytidine monophosphate we can spill more or less the Baltic region as a region what has a gross destiny. Destiny which is not pleasure to Baltic states.Since 18th century numerately Baltic States were as a part of Russian pudding stone * Estonia and Livonia (modern Estonia and Latvia) as a part of Swedish Empire was incorporated into the Russian Empire after the Swedens defeat by Russia in the Great Federal War in 1721. * The PolishLithuanian Commonwealth (created in 1569) was partitioned in 1795 by the Russian Empire, Prussia, and Habsburg Austria. The largest area of Lithuanian territory became part of Russi an Empire. * After the World War I in 1918 all Baltic countries got independence.This period was extremely important for national self-consciousness. * And once more than were occupied in 1940 by Soviet Union. After incorporation into Soviet Union Stalinistic personnel casualty terror regime was started in Baltic region systematic persecution and forcible destruction of political, cultural, military elite of the nations. Mass deportations (to Siberia for example) began, excessively nationalisation and industrialization were started. Strong ideological pressure by communists. So Latvians and Estonians historical annoyance against Germans turned now against Russians.But memories from independence time actually helped these nations to survive Soviet period at once we were independent, maybe will be again * Regained their independence in 1990 after the fall of Soviet Union. Face nearly problems with Russia. As we can see all Baltic States was in equal position since 18th centur y. But if we look deeper, we can find that all these occupations made incompatible impact on each country which caused different problems in each country. It was made by Russia delibarately. Latvia and Estonia had better industrial foot in front Soviet rule so it was more easy to reserve on extensive industrialization here.Because of industrialisation there were lots of Russian workforce brought to Latvia and Estonia. Lithuania was not so industrialized, so demanded more investments and in like manner had more free workforce in its own rural districts, so Lithuania in effect prevented extensive Russian immigration, Latvia and Estonia couldnt. 2. Issues after gaining independence As I mentioned earlier each of Baltic country faces different problems with Russia after independence. In Latvia and Estonia the biggest yet remains Russian minority issue. 2. 1. Russian minority issue.After gaining independence (in 1990) there left a huge Russian minority in Estonia and Latvia, about 30% of population were russians. It was a huge problem to these countries bacause they wanted to mark their national identity, unique language and culture. So the integration process of russian minorities was started just after the independence. Estonian citizenship was given only to the russians who lived in Estonia before World War II and their descendants. All Estonian residents, who had been Soviet citizens, had the skilful to register themselves as citizens of Russia or to choose any other citizenship.The Estonian Government actively promotes the acquiring of Estonian citizenship through naturalisation, thus decrease the number of persons with undetermined citizenship. A person who wishes to acquire Estonian citizenship by naturalisation must cast been a permanent resident of Estonia for at least five years, have a basic noticeledge of the Estonian language, have knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act. Residents without citizenshi p may not choose the Riigikogu (the national parliament) nor the European Parliament, but are eligible to vote in the municipal elections.In 2012, 84. 3% of Estonias population held Estonian citizenship, 8. 9% were citizens of other countries and 6. 8% were of undetermined citizenship. The same in Latvia latvian citizenship was given only to the russians who lived in Latvia before World War II and their descendants. in that location is quite common non-citizen status in Latvia. Latvian non-citizens can be regarded neither as citizens, nor aliens or stateless persons but as persons with a specific healthy status. They have the right to a non-citizen passport issued by the Latvian government as well as other specific rights.They have their own magazines, its like uique community in Latvia. So a lot of russians dont bother about latvian citizenship and test latvian citizenship only if they want to attend in political arena, because as non-citizens they cant do so. Otherwise there is no summit for russians to learn latvian language. Russians in Latvia claim Latvian language? wherefore do we need it? Americans didnt learn American Indian language, British didnt learn aborigine language. Situation in Lithuania is totally different. There are 80% of lithuanians in Lithuania.Historically minorities in Lithuania usually knew and nowadays know lithunian language pretty well, apart some exceptions. Russias attitude to this issue. Russia is continuously complaining about russian minorities in Baltic countries. Russia state to European Union that human rights are trampled on because there is no grant respect to russian minorities in baltic countries. Complaints include all Balttic states although russian minority is not essential issue in Lithuania. Only 5,8% of total population are russians in Lithuania. Compared to Estonia (there is 25% of russian minority) and Latvia () , number is actually low. . 2. The rebound issue. Estonia. Estonia had hoped for the retu rn of more than 2,000 square kilometers of territory, named Petseri County, annexed by Russia in 1945. The annexed reach had been within the take a hops Estonia approved by Russia in the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty. The border accord with Estonia was swiftly ratified by the Estonian parliament in 2005. However, the Russian minister of foreign affairs withdrew his signature from the Treaty because he objected to the Estonian parliaments ratification law which made reference to texts mentioning the Soviet occupation of Estonia.The border remains substantially the same as the one drawn by Stalin, with some minor adjustments. Latvia. In the case of Latvia, the border treaty was not even signed till today because Russia was arouse by the Latvian parliaments desire to add a colored preamble condemning the Soviet occupation. Also Russia insisted that the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia must be improved before any treaty could be signed. The Abrene District has been the main reaso n the two countries have not been equal to agree on a border treaty. The Latvian-Russian border is functional in de facto terms.There are two possible ways in which the situation cleverness develop in the future. The possibility that Latvia might entirely waive the unilateral declaration or that Russia might agree to ratify a treaty with the appended declaration. Lithuania. Russias border problems with Lithuania were different from those with Estonia and Latvia. True, nationalist Lithuanian groups questioned the legality of Russias take-over of the Kaliningrad region from Germany, and the first President Vytautas Landsbergis demanded not only the demilitarisation but also the de-colonisation of the region.However, all Lithuanian governments recognised the existing borders with Russia. In 1997 the Lithuanian and Russian presidents finally signed a border treaty. The Russian Duma, however, refused to sign the border agreement, openly explaining that it would remove one of the last obstructions to Lithuanian NATO membership and NATO bases. The Duma also claimed that the transfer of Klaipeda (Memel) from the Russian share of German East Prussia to Soviet Lithuania in 1945 was illegal, complained about Lithuanian politicians raising territorial claims on Russia and discrimination of Russian-speakers in Lithuania, too.However it was ratificated by Lietuvos seimas (Lithunias Parliament) in 1999 and by Russian Duma in 2003. Russias policy with Baltic countries * With Estonia and Latvia, Russian foreign policy is focused on the protection of the rights of Russian minorities. With Lithuania, where this card is useless, Moscow has developed more knotty tactics. * Russias tactics take the form of oil sanctions, gas closing off and dissuasion of Western firms from investing in Baltic energy projects. * Russian following Baltic states as a window to Europe. Baltic States as an obstacle for Russian trade and communication with Western Europe.