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All the way from Latvia, Al Sirovs' family are having a bit of a family reunion with Dr Dainis Sirovs and his charming wife Egija Sirova visiting our shores. Dr Sirovs holds a master's degree in Public Health and specializes in Traumatology. Born in 1962, he has experienced the period of Latvia's Russian (re)occupation in 1944, all the way to the transition to independence and the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia in 1991. Rather than giving us a long speech, Dr Sirovs preferred a Question & Answer session. But, opening up his presentation, we saw a brief video outlining his native country. Today, Latvia has a population of some 2 Million people, with a very diverse ethnicity: 62% are Latvians, 25% Russians, 31% Russian, Belorussian and Ukrainian, with people from fellow Baltic Estonian and Lithuanian descent just making up a bit over 1.3%. And what is the big difference between the Russian era and today? Freedom! We might take it for granted, but having lived under the threat of being banished to Siberian labour camps - not just individuals, but entire families... Upon independence, some 31% of people of Russian descent left the country, but the Russian influence is still very substantial, with some 34% of the population speaking Russian as their first language. The Russian armed forces conduct regular troop exercises near the Baltic states' borders, and they have very high influence on the local media. According to the Trading Economics organization, average wage is just 738 Euros (approx $A1,130) per month. Still, things appear to be on the rise, in January 2017, it was just 642 Euros.Yet, some 26 years after independence, there is again a major concern that the political parties aligned with Russia may yet again gain the upper hand. Well financed, they are spending huge sums in political advertising. In a parliament of 100 seats, three parties ('Parliamentary Groups') hold between 20 and 23 seats each, plus another 2 with 13, respectively 16 seats. So, it wouldn't take much to substantially change the balance.
However, Dr Dainis and Egida are here to enjoy a holiday! So, let's talk about sport: Ice Hockey, Bobsleigh, Speed Skating... Rugby? No. Aussie Rules? What? Cricket? Nope... Well, there is plenty to show and explain! We wish you a very pleasant stay in Australia!