Dec 06 2007

• Chas reports about a seminar on history of Russians in Latvia
• Chas prints an interview with the members of the NGO Pribaltijskij kazacij krug (Baltic Cossacks Circle)

Chas reports about a seminar on history of Russians in Latvia held by the NGO of Russian Culture in Jelgava (city in the central part of Latvia) Veche. The participants of the seminar have discussed preservation of Russian culture and its history.

Chas prints an interview with the members of the NGO Pribaltijskij kazacij krug (Baltic Cossacks Circle) established in 2004 with an aim to revive Russian community in Latvia. According to the members of the NGO, Russians and the Slavs have lived in Latvia for centuries, therefore, it is false to assert that all Russians arrived to Latvia as occupants during the Soviet times. The NGO considers that Russian should be granted official status in Latvia; all Russian speakers should be granted citizenship without naturalisation process; and Russian speakers should have rights to receive education in their native language.