Main narratives:
- Claims that Latvia is increasing incarceration facilities as a means to suppress dissent, alongside allegations of persecution contributing to population decline.
- Concerns about the Latvian government’s desire for exhaustive financial control and taxation.
- Fears over Estonia’s military involvement in Ukraine led to casualties both in combat and domestically.
- Speculations around the Slovak Prime Minister’s assassination were tied to his political and geopolitical stances.
- Criticism of Latvian policies targets Russian speakers and calls to prioritise domestic issues like border control over international agreements and initiatives.
Overview:
During this examined week, two main narratives dominated the discourse, primarily the persecution of Russian speakers, including additional repression and encroachment by the government. In particular, it is claimed that the Latvian government is building prisons to jail the opposition and that it is increasing taxes and robbing the ‘common people’ of their livelihoods. Overall, the narratives targeted the Latvian government and its relevant authorities. Other narratives include the claim that the Slovak prime minister was shot by the globalists and that the consideration of Estonia sending support troops to Ukraine will mean the death of Estonian people. Although TikTok remains the most popular platform for engagement, posts and engagement on Facebook and Telegram seem to have increased slightly.
