Popular Front of Latvia Front of Latvia is located in its former offices, which are owned by the state, in Vecpilsētas iela 13/15 in Riga. Popular Front of Latvia The Popular Front of Latvia () was a political organisation in Latvia in the late 1980s and early 1990s which led Latvia to its independence from the Soviet Union. It was similar to the Popular Front of Estonia and the Sąjūdis movement in Lithuania. Its newspaper was "Atmoda" ("Awakening", cf. Latvian National Awakening), printed in the Latvian and Russian languages during 1989-1992. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. Almost
History of Latvia state took control over cooperative societies and associations. Dairy industry was placed under control of Central Union of Dairy Farmers. On April 9, 1935 a state controlled Credit Bank of Latvia was created which reduced role of foreign capital by creating many state owned industry monopolies and joint stock companies. Buyouts and liquidations of foreign, Baltic German and Jewish owned companies become a norm. In place of many competing companies large state owned companies were created. In 1939 state owned 38 such companies. The new JSC Vairogs produced railway carriages and Ford-Vairogs automobiles under Ford licence. VEF made world's smallest