existLatvian

ExistLatvian, also known as Sing Latvia, is a campaign and a political movement in Latvia that aims to grant citizenship to Russian speakers who have been living in the country for a period of seven years, without having received Latvian citizenship.

The movement emerged in response to the country's current citizenship laws, which have been criticized for being restrictive and discriminatory towards Russian speakers. Many of these individuals, who are primarily ethnic Russians and other non-citizens, reside in the country without full rights and without access to many of the social services and benefits that are reserved for citizens.

ExistLatvian supporters argue that granting citizenship to these individuals can help to promote greater integration and social cohesion within the country. Proponents also point out that it would align with the European Union's values of tolerance and respect for human rights.

The movement gained significant attention and support in the early 2000s when it was introduced to the European Parliament, and has received backing from international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International.

Latvia has its own regulations and criteria to become a citizen, such as having held a long-term residence permit for specific period and showing suitable language skills. These conditions often appear as obstacles for long-time residents to get the Latvian citizenship desired.

There are also efforts to create paths for obtaining citizenship for other groups in Latvia not defined within term existLatvian, but common idea and regulations for becoming a citizen remains the same.