Country profile - Societal developments (Latvia)

The period from 1950 to 1980 was characterised by the integration of the previously independent Latvian State into the Soviet Union and its state planning system. The collectivisation and industrialisation of all means of production, including all farm holdings, led to massive changes in the Latvian economy and society. The key (environmental) changes that occurred due to these shifts during that period included:

• a substantial change in traditional farming landscapes and village structures to large-scale units and concentrated settlements,
• the draining of wetlands and mires to achieve higher agricultural productivity,
• the pollution of numerous rivers due to insufficient industrial pollution control.

The Soviet system also entailed a lack of economic liberty and free debate, and promoted the immigration of Russian workers into Latvian territory to ensure faster development and integration of the State into the Soviet Union. However, liberalisation within the communist regime of the USSR, known as glasnost, began in the mid-1980s. During the second half of the 1980s, the process of perestroika (restructuring) began in the Soviet Union, which was led by the new Soviet communist leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Nevertheless, large-scale industrial planning continued and, in 1986, it became widely known to the public that another hydroelectric power plant on Latvia’s largest river, the Daugava, and a subway in Riga were planned. Both these projects further threatened Latvia’s landscape, not to mention its cultural and historical wealth. They also envisaged further immigration of workers from other republics of the USSR, further decreasing the share of native Latvians in the total population of the country. In response, the Environmental Protection Club was founded on 28 February 1987. Under the cover of environmental protection, a cause seemingly harmless to the Soviet authorities, the movement was also able to turn its attention to current political issues. During the second half of the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Club became one of the most influential of a number of mass movements, all of which simultaneously began to make demands for Latvia’s sovereignty. These coincided with further political changes in the Soviet Union and a movement for independence in nearly all the Warsaw Bloc States in eastern Europe and the Baltic States. In Latvia and other Baltic States, the expression of the wish for independence from the Soviet Regime often took the form of cultural events and demonstrations. Thus, the whole process of renewing independence since the late 1980s is known as the ‘Singing Revolution’.

On 21 August 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian Republic announced that the transition period to full independence that was declared on 4 May 1990 had come to an end. Thus, Latvia proclaimed itself a fully independent nation. The renewed Latvian parliament convened for its first session in 1993.

The renewal of independence brought swift changes in Latvia’s economic sphere. At the end of 1991, the country abandoned the planned economy of the Soviet era and switched to a free market economy. In 1993, the Latvian national currency, the Lat, was brought back into circulation. Latvia became an important transit country for the export of Russia’s raw materials. Land and other real estate were returned to their rightful pre-occupation owners or their heirs.

Following the renewal of independence, Latvia rapidly returned to the international milieu. On 17 September 1991, Latvia was admitted to the United Nations, and a few days earlier Latvia had become a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In February 1995, Latvia became a member of the European Council.

With the renewal of independence, Latvia moved consistently towards two of its most important foreign policy goals — membership of EU and NATO. During the 1990s, many social, economic and judicial changes were implemented in Latvia in order to prepare for admittance to these organisations. In close cooperation with EU, a special programme for the integration of immigrants who came to Latvia during the Soviet period was developed and is operating successfully.

On 2 April 2004, Latvia became a member of NATO and on 1 May of the same year, Latvia, together with other two Baltic States (Estonia and Lithuania), became a fully fledged member of the EU.