• Music concert held as an opening event to School Youth Song and Dance Festival celebrated cultural heritage of various Latvia’s ethnicities and patriotism
• The government agreed to the admission of 250 refugees during two years 

Diena reports that the spiritual music concert held on 5 July as an opening event to the XI Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival celebrated cultural heritage of various Latvia’s ethnicities and patriotism. Besides Latvian, the concert participants (mainly the pupils of music schools) sang songs in Latgalian, Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Roma, Estonian, Jewish, Polish and Livonian. The Festival takes place in Riga from 6 to 12 July. 

On Monday the government agreed to admit the re-distribution of 250 refugees to Latvia during two-year period. Representatives of two ruling parties “Unity” and the “Union of Greens and Farmers” agreed to the proposal, while the third party – “National Union” rejected the proposal. The Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma emphasised that this is a “one-time-only” admission and that Latvia’s contribution to the EU solidarity will also be realised through assistance to protection of the borders and resolution of problems in the source countries. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

• Vesti Segodnya reports about events devoted to the commemoration day of the Holocaust victims
• National Union proposes to stipulate that children with temporary residence permit and refugee status should study in Latvian language
• SKDS survey: the President Andris Berzins is supported equally but Latvian and Russian speakers
• Young people in Latvia are invited to attend Russia’s educative military-sports camp again

Vesti Segodnya reports about events devoted to the commemoration day of the Holocaust victims held on 4 July inRiga. The foundation “Shamir” organised the traditional procession „March of Alive” on the streets of the former Riga Ghetto. The procession gathered members of the Jewish community, representatives of different embassies, the Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece, the MPs and other state officials. International symposium “Memory of the Holocaust inLatvia” was held in the House of the Jewish Community. Participants of the symposium discussed the history of the Holocaust inLatvia as well as Roma genocide.

The National Union (NU) proposes the draft amendments to the Education Law stipulating that children with temporary residence permit and refugee status should study in Latvian schools in Latvian language. According to the leader of NU Raivis Dzintars, the aim of the proposal is to ensure that new immigrants study in Latvian language as it is not possible to solve the problem with divided education system yet. The governing coalition partners – the Unity and the Union of Greens and Farmers do not support such idea, except separate party members. As reported, in the past, the NU proposed to transfer education in all national minority schools into Latvian language only. However, such proposal also did not gain support of the coalition partners.

According to a survey conducted by the research centre SKDS, the Presidents Andris Berzins is the most popular high state official comparing to the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma and the Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece. The President is positively evaluated by 48,5%, the Prime Minister by 38,9%, but the Saeima’s Speaker by 27,4% of residents. According to the director of the SKDS Arnis Kaktins, the President Berzins was able to stand over the ethnic divide of the society. Therefore, he is positively evaluated by Latvian and Russian speakers. Mrs Murniece and Mrs Straujuma, in their turn, have less support among Russian language families. Diena

Neatkariga reports that young people inLatvia are invited to attendRussia’s educative military-sports camp “Union 2015. Successors of the Victory” again. Last year, the Security Police drew attention on participation of youth inRussia’s military camps and warned that the content and ideology of such camps might contradict Latvian national security interests. According to the newspaper, despite that agenda of the camp “Union” emphasizes friendship of nations, youth education and healthy life style, the organizers integrated historical, political, ideological and military issues in the camp’s content with an aim to preserve ties between the former USSR republics. 

• Report “State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2015” highlights problems of large scale non-citizenship and Roma situation in Latvia
• 9^th World Roma Congress will be held in Riga in August

According to a report of the Minority Rights Group International  “State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2015”, large number of non-citizens and situation of Roma are highlighted as the problematic issues in Latvia. The report emphasizes that there are children born with the status of non-citizen in Latviabecause their parents non-citizens do not choose to register them as citizens. The report also says that Roma is the most excluded minority group in Latviasuffering from discrimination in employment and education. Neatkariga

Vesti Segodnya reports that the 9^th World Roma Congress will be held inRiga on 16 August 2015. Roma delegations from 30 countries will arrive toRiga in order to elect the new head of the International Roma Union. There also will be a two-day cultural Roma festival inRiga and Jurmala on 17 and 18 August. 

• Vesti Segodnya prints opinions of different persons about possible accommodation of refugees from African countries in Latvia
• Political party Russian Union of Latvia criticizes the detention of pro-Russian activists

Vesti Segodnya prints opinions of different well know persons including politicians about possible accommodation of refugees from African countries inLatvia. The majority of interviewed persons stress that accommodation of refugees inLatvia would cause new social and economic problems, as well as it would be a potential threat to the state’s security. Thus, political scientist Filips Rajevskis believes Latvian society is not ready to accept refugees, mainly because of cultural differences.  Director of theLatvia’s Future Institute, known also as Euro sceptic Normunds Grostins says thatLatvia should not accommodate refugees, as those will create new social, economic and criminal problems for Latvian state. MP Inguna Sudraba (From Heart toLatvia) believes that majority of refugees wont’ stay inLatvia and, therefore, it would be irrational to accommodate them for some period of time at the expense of Latvian taxpayers. She also believes that the benefit for refugees inLatvia (EUR 256 per month) is too high comparing to benefits and pensions of local people.

Vesti Segodnya publishes the statement by the political party Russian Union of Latvia regarding the fact that pro-Russian activists who gathered in the centre ofRiga in order to sign the founding document of an association “League of prisoners of conscience of Latvia” were taken to the police station. The party believes that the governing politicians avoid an open debate with Russian activists and instead incite the police to harass them. The party also evaluates such police actions as illegal and un-democratic and promises to complain to international media and organisations. 

• Governing coalition has to agree on the number of asylum seekers Latvia is ready to receive
• Police detained pro-Russian activists who gathered in the centre of Riga

After the agreement between the EU leaders about voluntary accommodation of asylum seekers by the EU member states, Latvian governing coalition parties have to agree on the number of persons Latvia is ready to receive. According to the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, this number might be up to 200 asylum seekers. Representatives of the Union of Greens and Farmers as well as the National Union stated that before making a decision, they want to be confident that accommodation of asylum seekers won’t cause negative long-term consequences for Latvia. According to a representative of the Ministry of Interior, part of asylum seekers could be placed in the accommodation centre in “Mucinieki”, but it is also important to plan integration of these people involving ministries and local councils. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, the police detained pro-Russian activists who gathered in the centre of Riga in order to sign founding document of an association “League of prisoners of conscience of Latvia”. The police evaluated that the gathering of five persons contradicted the requirements of the “Law on Assemblies, Marches and Pickets”. According to the explanations of one of the founders, leader of the party “For Native Language” Illarions Girss, the gathering of five persons was not a picket or assembly and the persons are entitled to enjoy their democratic rights. Latvijas Avize