Forum on Europe:The influx of Latvian workers for jobs in countries like Ireland is hurting the eastern European state, its former president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, told a Dublin audience yesterday.
Speaking at a session of the National Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle, Dr Vike-Freiberga conceded that the drain of Latvian labour was a problem.
The latest census states that about 14,000 Latvians live in Ireland, but the real figure is believed to be much higher.
Despite the loss of workers, Dr Vike-Freiberga said that Latvia was now moving on from the "ruin of the Soviet system" and was looking to Ireland for inspiration.
"I always used to say when people were hesitant and reluctant about membership in the European Union, for a small country that has known oppression in the past, to me Ireland is shining example of how you go about it - if you are clever and you are determined to take advantage of the new situation," she said. "I thought this was a perfect encouragement to us that it can be done".
She rejected suggestions that the EU Reform Treaty should be put to a referendum in her country. In a debate with forum members, Dr Vike-Freiberga defended her country's decision to join Natoin 1990.
She said Latvian neutrality had led to invasions by German and then Soviet troops.