MFA: It's time for Riga to understand — it will have to answer for barbarism against Russian-speaking citizens

The Latvian authorities should understand that they will have to answer for all barbaric actions against the Russian-speaking population. This is stated in a comment by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in connection with the complication of the rules for extending a residence permit for Russian citizens.

"The discriminatory requirements of Latvia's migration legislation are openly Russophobic," Zakharova stated, pointing out that they grossly violate fundamental international legal norms, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and other documents.

The diplomat recalled that Moscow has repeatedly stated this, including at relevant international venues.

"However, the essentially neo-Nazi leadership of Latvia ignores the opinion of Russia and the majority of members of the international community, acting under the guise of their curators from Brussels and Washington," she said.

As the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed, "Riga should understand that all barbaric actions against the Russian-speaking population will have to be answered."

"On the happening in Latvia's legal arbitrariness will continue to take tough retaliatory measures, including those of an asymmetric nature," the commentary says.

As EADaily reported, the Latvian authorities have complicated the procedure for extending a residence permit for Russian citizens. Now this requires confirmation of knowledge of the Latvian language, as well as filling out a questionnaire regarding their attitude to the special military operation and the Crimea.