• Conference about the results of the language reform in minority schools conducted in 2004
• Nationalists’ union calls “ethnic Latvian” parties to unite for the elections

 Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference organised by ex-MP and activist for defence of Russian language schools Jakovs Pliners about the results of the language reform in minority schools conducted in 2004. Participants of the conference reminded that initially government planned to transfer education in ethnic minority secondary schools into Latvian language only, but after the large protest of teachers, children and their parents (198 protest actions within one year), it was agreed to set the proportion the 60% of subjects in Latvian, 40% in minority language. According, to another activist for defence of Russian schools Vladimirs Buzajevs the protests against the reform were caused by the initial aim of the reform to deprive Russian children of complete education which would lead to moral and social degradation and decrease their competitiveness.  Jakovs Pliners stated that, eventually, Russians schools did not benefit from the language reform but also did lose. According to Mr Pliners, the pressure on Russian language schools continues as there is no preparation of teachers for minority schools and such schools do not exist in many Latvian regions anymore. Mr Pliners also criticized the unified state language examination for graduators of Latvian language and minority schools introduced two years ago arguing  that it initially puts students for whom Latvian language is not native in unequal situation and thus they receive lower examination evaluation which is very important claiming for scholarship at local universities. Doctor of pedagogy Valerijs Buhvalovs called to strengthen component of Russian culture in schools because it will preserve cultural identity of students.

 

The  nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM appealed to the biggest so called “ethnic Latvian” parties – the Unity, the Reforms Party and the Union of Greens and Farmers – calling those to unite in one list in the up-coming Saeima elections. The aim of such union is to win the elections and receive majority of mandates in order to ensure political stability and decrease chances of anti-state forces – by this considering the potential success of the Concord Centre. Commenting such call, representatives of the Reforms Party stated that consolidation of political parties is an interesting idea but it does not accept attempt to draw a line on principle of ethnic belonging. Vesti Segodnya