• Discussion on citizenship referendum
• Chas readers complain about differences in calculating pensions of citizens and non-citizens

 

Vesti Segodnya reports about the discussion “Direct democracy in Latvia” organised on 19 October 2012 by the movement “For Equal Rights”, which initiated referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to Latvian non-citizens. Participants of the discussions agree that the problem of non-citizenship has to be resolved. According to Juris Rozenvalds, the ruling parties should make it clear that they understand this problem. Ilze Ostrovska stated that both the ruling “Unity” and the opposition “Concord Centre” are not interested in holding the referendum.

 

Chas writes that the problem of pensions is one of the questions most often raised by their readers, who complain about exclusion of large part of their length of service because of their citizenship status. The treaty on social protection between Latvia and Russia has solved some of the problems. Outside the framework of the treaty, only work in Latvia is taken into account in calculating retirement pensions of non-citizens, while the entire period of employment (including in other republics of the Soviet Union) is taken into account in calculating pensions of citizens. The article highlights that the Soviet-era work of citizens in Kazakhstan is taken into account when calculating pensions, while the same work of non-citizens is not. 

• Archbishop Janis Vanags: ethnic Russians living in Latvia will always remain ethnic Russians
• Actions in support of granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens held in London, Kaliningrad and Vilnius

According to the archbishop of Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Janis Vanags, ethnic Russians living in Latvia will always remain ethnic Russians and Latvia should take care that they are able to preserve their identity. Mr Vanags believes it is important to decide how ethnic Russians and ethnic Latvians can be integrated within one society with common aims and values. Among the common aims there should be Latvia as European country where ethnic Latvians have possibilities to determine their destiny and realise identity and Latvian language should be the state language, believes the Archbishop. Chas, Neatkariga (19.10.2012)

Vesti Segodnya reports about brief public actions in support of granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens held near the Latvian embassies in London and Vilnius and consulate in Kaliningrad. Participants of the actions wanted to draw international attention to the problem of large scale non-citizenship in Latvia.

Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights

• Interview with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks
• Chas prints an interview with a Brazilian national who lives in Latvia

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks. According to Mr Muzinieks, economic crisis impacted human rights in many countries and the most of all it impacted socially economic, civil and political rights. The most vulnerable groups impacted by crisis are children, disabled persons, elder people, immigrants, refugees, and Roma, believes the Commissioner.

Chas prints an interview with a Brazilian Thiago who immigrated to Latvia from Brazil. According to Thiago, he met various people while living in Latvia, both ethnic Russians and ethnic Latvians and does not see any big difference between them. But the thing what really surprised Thiago was that there are ethnic Latvians and Russians who do not love this country. Thiago is involved in the international project AMITIE funded by the EU and conducted in Latvia by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and the Department of Education, Sports and Culture of the Riga City Council. The AMITIE informative campaign “This is my story… or our?” informs the society about positive aspects of migration stressing the contribution of immigrants in economic, social and cultural development of the state.

More about the AMITIE project on http://www.facebook.com/AMITIEproject?ref=hl and http://cilvektiesibas.org.lv/lv/media-materials/notiks-informativas-kampanas-sis-ir-mans-stasts-va-223/ (in Latvian)

Yours sincerely,
Integration Monitor

• State Language Centre is planning to check the status of state language in the national football team
• Academic Juris Rozenvalds: giving political rights to Latvian non-citizens would solve ethnic problems in Latvia

The State Language Centre is planning to check the status of state language in the national football team of Latvia. The scandal around the football team arouse after statements of one of the players to a newspaper that he does not see necessity to speak Latvian in Latvia because it is possible to communicate in different languages living in this country. The State Language Centre (SLC) already initiated an administrative case for conducting a press conference before the game of national team in Russian language without provision of translation into Latvian. According to representative of the SLC Antons Kursitis, players of the national team represent the state on the high level, so they should comply with the requirement to be proficient in state language on the highest category. Chas, Latvijas Avize, Diena, Vesti Segodnya

Academician Juris Rozenvalds believes admission of non-citizens to political participation would be the best solution of ethnic problems in Latvia. According to Mr Rozenvalds, to allow non-citizens to submit proposals and petitions to the Parliament and to vote in the municipal elections would be a wise and farsighted step. Mr Rozenvalds as an example mentions Estonia which has granted non-citizens voting right at the local level and this step decreased escalation of ethnic tensions and led to more constructive dialogue. Vesti Segodnya

 

 

• Neatkariga questions why the MPs do not give clear definition of loyalty, and instead are taking on individual citizens
• Vesti Segodnya: 21 years ago the vast majority of ethnic non-Latvians were deprived of civil rights and declared “aliens”

 

Editorial in Neatkariga draws attention to the fact that some Saeima’s commissions spent their time on evaluation of personal cases of individual citizens; in the meantime, such treatment may be arbitrary, because the MPs do not formulate clear legal definition of loyalty. The editorial compares the practice to the Soviet-era discussions of personal affairs of citizens at the meetings of trade unions or Communist party units at factories. The editorial highlights the lack of legitimacy of the state institutions: according to the research conducted by SKDS, the trust level is “minus 59%” for the Saeima and “minus 44%” for the Government. The editorial points out that the loyalty of silent citizens is not questioned and asks if stealing from the state (corruption) or transferring the state sovereignty to outside structures without proper consultation with the people is also a sign of loyalty.

 

Vesti Segodnya publishes an article about the developments which resulted in deprivation of the vast majority of ethnic non-Latvians of civil rights. The newspaper cites 1989 Programme of Latvia People’s Front (LPF), which envisaged citizenship for all those permanent residents, who express their will to be Latvian citizens. LPF received majority of votes in March 1990 parliamentary elections and the Parliament adopted Independence Declaration in May 1990. On 15 October 1991, LPF MPs voted for the decision on restoration of the pre-war citizenship rights and on naturalisation, thus depriving most ethnic non-Latvians of their rights. According to the author of the article, the recent statement by Mr. Rafalskis about the political regime is determined by the fact that it should not be based upon lies. The author argues that the way forward is to correct the 21-years-old big lie by offering Latvian citizenships to all non-citizens.