In the latest Migrant Integration Policy Index, published in September this year, Latvia's state integration policy was rated as "rather unfavorable," public media reports.
At the same time, Latvia's indicators have hardly changed in recent years. Meanwhile, the number of migrants in Latvia is increasing, including citizens of third countries. Are there manifestations of racism in Latvia?
This was discussed by priest of Indian origin Kutukat Raphael Devasiy Jerin in the Latvian television program "De facto." He concluded that it is better not to walk in the center of Riga on Friday and Saturday evenings - there is a risk of encountering hostile attitudes. According to the "de facto" program, this has happened to both his friends and himself. In broad daylight in the center of Riga, a clearly drunk young man attempted to snatch his bag. Failing to do so, the man struck the priest hard in the face.
"After he hit me, I felt pain for another two days," said the Indian.
There were also several other unpleasant incidents, but at least they did not cause physical pain. For example, two young boys sitting behind him on a bus shoved gum into the priest's hair.
"I have been here for a year and know a little Latvian. From their speech and expressions, I understood that they were saying something about me being black and something about India," he said.
The priest from the Indian state of Kerala came to Latvia in April last year at the invitation of a local priest. There are quite a few students from India in Latvia. Education is the main reason why residence permits have been issued to Indian citizens in Latvia in recent years. For example, according to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, as of July 1 this year, 3,484 Indian citizens held a valid residence permit in Latvia for the purpose of studying (2,020 of them received it while being final-year master's or doctoral students).
