Majority of Latvians Favor Internal Border Checks within the EU, According to Poll
In a recent survey, 16% of respondents strongly agreed that controls should be restored at the internal borders of EU countries, while 32% partially agreed. This indicates a significant portion of the population in Latvia expressing support for stricter border controls within the EU.
Andis Kudors, a foreign policy expert, and Andris Gobiņš, President of the European Movement in Latvia, have offered their insights into the causes and implications of these findings. Both experts noted that the strengthening of external borders is a key challenge for enhancing security in the EU and the Schengen area.
The results of the survey showed a fairly equal distribution of support for border controls across both genders. However, a more striking difference was observed between Latvian and Russian speakers. The majority of Latvian speakers (60%) supported the reintroduction of border controls compared to 26% of Russian speakers. Vidzeme had the highest proportion (45%) of those who were partly in favour of border checks. On the contrary, the most opposed to the reintroduction of border controls were residents of Riga (33%).
Kudors suggested that the data from the survey are likely to be indicative of people's views, shaped by what they see and hear in the media. He also emphasized the European Union's long-standing policy on demography as a key problem, pointing out that cultural differences have been ignored in the process of solving demographic problems through external migration.
Gobiņš, on the other hand, believes that the respondents were more likely to think about temporary rather than permanent reintroduction of internal border controls. He also stated that much of the problems faced by the EU are facilitated by Russia and that we need to address the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.
Kudors further pointed out that some immigrants from countries where Islam and radical Islamism are more prominent have brought these ideas with them. He suggested that there might have been some confusion between internal and external borders in the survey, with people starting to think about controlling the Schengen area to maintain their identity environment and security.
The survey, which included a total of 1,007 respondents, provides valuable insights into public opinion on border controls in Latvia and the EU. These findings underscore the need for continued dialogue and policy discussions on this important issue.
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