The publicist proposes to address the issue of the eviction of "colonists."
Publicist Janis Kalns, in an open letter to the Saeima published on the portal pietiek.com, urges lawmakers to address the issue of the departure from the country of "colonists":
"Now that Russia has launched active military operations in Ukraine, it is the right time to begin addressing the problem of overcoming the consequences of occupation and colonization in Latvia. To this end, it would be necessary to purposefully support the repatriation of immigrants who entered during the period of colonization by creating a separate state body that would provide support for repatriation to those who do not wish to live here and integrate into Latvian society, to their native lands, which are now mostly independent states.
Without such state support, the problem of decolonization is unlikely to be resolved and will suffocate all of Latvian society as a heavy burden. For those who wish to remain here, integration cannot be limited to knowledge of the state language. Such individuals must overcome the imperialist and colonial mindset ingrained in the consciousness of the Russian people for centuries, as well as feel a personal responsibility for the grave crimes committed by their state. Responsibility in this case has more of a moral than a legal aspect.
Of course, one cannot blame each colonist individually for the imperial colonial policy of Russia over many centuries, as no authority demands that every individual agrees with the conquest of another country. However, there is no doubt that a significant portion of the responsibility must lie with those who, being subjects of a state that has conquered other countries, actively supported such policies of their government, even at a personal level."
