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FOI-R--3990--SE
noted that according to the definition in the Compatriot Law of 1999, around 28
per cent of the population of Latvia was eligible for the status of Russian
compatriot. In 2010 the definition of a compatriot was clarified in law, stating
that compatriots had to show their connection to Russia by promoting its culture
and values. 191 In reality, a large proportion of Russians living abroad do not see
themselves as belonging to Russia. However, the size of the population that
Russia declares as “its people” gives an indication of the specific style and
ambition of Russia’s foreign policy.
On 28 December 2011, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a
report “On the Situation with Human Rights in Certain States”. 192 The report
contained criticism of the United States and the United Kingdom. The authors of
the report also indicated that the Russian-speaking information and culturaleducational
space in the Baltic states was being reduced. In the international
arena, Russia has often portrayed the situation of the Russian diaspora in Latvia
in a dramatic light. Processes in Latvia have been compared to apartheid and to
ethnic cleansing. According to Nils Muiznieks, the apogee of such portrayals
were accusations by Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow at the time, that the
Latvian authorities were carrying out genocide and comparing Latvia with
Cambodia at the time of Pol Pot. 193
4.2.3 The Language Issue
Promotion of the Russian language abroad has an important position in the
Compatriots Policy, along with the interpretation of history and the defence of
compatriots’ rights. A notable milestone in the promotion of the Russian
language abroad was achieved in 2005–2007, when the first federal three-year
programme 194 of Russia’s Compatriots Policy and the Russian language support
programmes 195 were launched, and Russkii mir was established. One of the
foundation’s objectives is the promotion of the Russian language.
Russia’s Foreign Policy Concept of 2008 states that Russia will defend the rights
of compatriots, perceiving “the multimillion Russian diaspora – the Russian
world – as a partner, including in expanding and strengthening the space of the
191 Federal Law (1999): “Russia's policy towards its compatriots living abroad“, 24 May, № 99-FZ,
http://rs.gov.ru/node/658.
192 See http://www.drc.mid.ru/old/Human_Rights_Report.pdf.
193 Kudors A., The guards of interests, IR, September 28, 2010. It should be noted that despite his
previous statements, Luzhkov asked for a residence permit for Latvia and was ready to move there to
live after a conflict with the then President of Russia, Dimitri Medvedev, in 2010.
194 See Compatriots Policy Program 2006–2008,
http://www.ruvek.ru/module=docs&action=view&id=62.
195 See the Federal program “Russian Language (2006-2010)”,
http://old.mon.gov.ru/work/zakup/program/22/.
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