President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis organises the discussion “Termination of the Granting of Non-Citizen Status in the Republic of Latvia” to discuss his initiative with the experts to provide an opportunity for newborn children of non-citizens in Latvia to become citizens of Latvia at their birth unless their parents choose citizenship of another existing state for their children.
“Granting the status of non-citizens to newborn babies is a legacy left by the former USSR, which should not be maintained for more than 25 years after the restoration of independence. Latvia is a modern and democratic European country. We must do everything to strengthen and consolidate our people, and to look ahead, not backwards in the next centenary of our nation,” emphasised Raimonds Vējonis.
The address by the President of Latvia will open the discussion. Ombudsman Juris Jansons will explain what the rights of the child to citizenship are. Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior Evika Siliņa will give an overview of how the registration of children for the citizenship of Latvia has changed in recent years and what the dynamics of naturalisation is.
Director of Market and Public Opinion Research Centre SKDS Arnis Kaktiņš will present the results of the survey on public attitudes towards the regulation of the citizenship status of newborn babies. In his turn, Associate Professor of the London University College Mārtiņš Paparinskis will evaluate the proposal on the nationality of non-citizens’ children from the continuity doctrine and other aspects of international law.
The discussion will be moderated by Associate Professor of the University of Latvia and Member of the Commission for Legal Environment Improvement of the President of Latvia Ivars Ijabs.
Media representatives intending to cover the discussion are kindly asked to apply in advance to the Press Department of the President of Latvia (prese@president.lv, phone 67092132).