Latvia: Defence minister candidate’s statements slammed on social media

Social media users in Latvia have highlighted statements by Andris Spruds, potential candidate for minister of defence, about the Latvian state and Russian-occupied Crimea, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview on the Russian-language radio station, Radio Baltkom, in January 2013, Spruds contested the legal continuity of the Latvian republic. Also, he asserted that Crimea would de facto remain part of Russia. At the time of the interview, Spruds was director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. He is member of the Progressives, which is forming a new coalition government with New Unity and the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS).