Back to the USSR?

There is now mounting evidence that the Russians are using techniques to destabilise the European Union, and possibly attempted to influence a win for ‘Leave’ in last year’s referendum.

Latvia between Unions (Soviet and European)

The rooftops of Riga, capital city of Latvia
© Photo:  Tēvijas Sargs/The Latvian Institute

In the summer of 1999, I visited the Baltic State of Latvia in north-east Europe. It was eight years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which Latvia was forced to join in the 1940′s. And it was five years before Latvia chose to join the European Union. 

My visit was a snapshot of a country between Unions – Soviet and European. The personal account of my journey to Latvia in 1999 appears below.  On my blog at EU-ROPE.COM, I've written the story of Latvia's 60-year journey from one Union to another: 'Latvia: From Soviet Union to European Union'