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Since declaring independence in 1991, after 50 years of Soviet
rule, Latvia has been keen to regain its place in Europe. 'In
the past, Latvia was an integral part of Europe,' says
Osmushkina. 'By joining the EU, we're returning, but the
question is: what are the terms and conditions of joining,
because the post-Soviet conditions in Latvia are far from the
perfect.'
Although 70 per cent of Latvians voted to join the EU,
Osmushkina's main concern is how Latvia will cope with the
change in the short term. 'In my opinion,' she says, 'Latvia is
very weak and is not fully ready to join without problems.
Financial support from the EU will not be enough for Latvian
companies to quickly adapt to European regulations and many
local companies will go bankrupt.'
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