During the meeting, the President of Latvia emphasised that minorities has always been a part of the society in Latvia and that diversity was our strength and resource. Already next year, in 2018, we will celebrate the centenary of the Republic of Latvia and the centenary of the restoration of Lithuania. Moreover, representatives of various nationalities and their intelligence, work, and love for their country have formed and continue to form our countries.
“One of my goals in the position of the President is to unite the people of Latvia and stand for a united society. I have done it in the first two years of my presidency and I will continue to do so in the future as well,” stated Raimonds Vējonis.
The President of Latvia acknowledged that there was a difference between the situation of minorities in Latvia and in Lithuania, since more than 1/3 of the population in Latvia (38.28% by the beginning of 2016) were representatives of minorities, while in Lithuania it was 15%. This does not diminish the significance of working with minorities in Lithuania. As each country has its own challenges, the work of the Minorities Councils is valuable and necessary.