Latvians appeared to have narrowly approved their parliament’s controversial measures to ease citizenship requirements for the country’s hundreds of thousands of stateless Russians.
With votes counted from about 78 percent of the country’s precincts, the changes were being approved Saturday by a 52 percent to 46 percent ratio. The remaining 2 percent of the ballots were apparently either spoiled or blank.
The referendum, which was held in conjunction with voting for the country’s 100-seat parliament, could end years of delays for citizenship applicants if the results hold up.
If voters agree to retain the more liberal citizenship amendments, Latvia will have headed off an unpleasant confrontation with the West. But whether the results will mollify Russia, which has denounced Latvia for its treatment of ethnic Russians, is in doubt.
The amendments were passed in June after a tense spring in which Russia threatened trade sanctions against its neighbor.
