Rungainis: Latvia's historical trauma shapes wariness toward new migrants

Businessman and investor Ģirts Rungainis said on the TV24 program "Nedēļa. Post Scriptum" that Latvian society's wary attitude toward migration is largely rooted in its historical experience with Soviet-era mass immigration.

A historical trauma

Rungainis argued that between 1945 and 1990, the arrival of millions of people in Latvia effectively threatened the survival of Latvia as a nation-state. He believes this experience left a lasting trauma on society, one that has made it difficult to fully integrate the Russian-speaking community, which has become even less willing to integrate since Russia's aggression intensified. As a result, he said, the arrival of new migrants who differ in race, skin color and language inevitably unsettles the public.

He noted that similar concerns exist in several Western European countries, where immigrants make up 10–20% of the population and where there is a perception that migrants can be aggressive and place a heavy burden on social welfare systems.

Emigration experience and upcoming elections

At the same time, Rungainis pointed to Latvia's opposite migration experience: around 200,000–300,000 Latvians currently live in Western Europe while maintaining close ties to their homeland, including traveling back to use state-funded healthcare services.

He predicted migration will become one of the central themes of the upcoming elections, noting that the National Alliance party has already made the issue central to its campaign.

Rungainis also pointed to a practical complication: when migrants who pass through Latvia while trying to reach Western Europe are detained in other countries and sent back, Latvia can end up having to cover costs incurred there, such as medical expenses.