Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

Press Report

Press Report

The Latvian government on Tuesday accepted amendments to the regulations about state language proficiency that were drafted after the UN human rights committee decision on a complaint from Latvia, reported the government press service. Amendments to the regulations on state language proficiency required for certain professions and procedure for testing this proficiency were made after the UN human rights committee ruling in a case of a Latvian citizen, who was prevented from running in 1997 municipal elections due to her allegedly insufficient knowledge of the Latvian language. Under the amendments, inspectors of the state language authorities in Latvia will have the right to check only the authenticity of the language proficiency certificate, not the actual proficiency of its holder. The authenticity of the certificate is to be verified by a number of details such as the registration number, authenticity of the seal, etc., to eliminate any subjective opinion by a single official. The Latvian government this October formed a task force for evaluating the current human rights situation and to draft legislative amendments building on the UN human rights committee decision in the case of Latvian citizen Antonina Ignatane.

The Latvian government on Tuesday accepted amendments to the regulations about state language proficiency that were drafted after the UN human rights committee decision on a complaint from Latvia, reported the government press service. Amendments to the regulations on state language proficiency required for certain professions and procedure for testing this proficiency were made after the UN human rights committee ruling in a case of a Latvian citizen, who was prevented from running in 1997 municipal elections due to her allegedly insufficient knowledge of the Latvian language. Under the amendments, inspectors of the state language authorities in Latvia will have the right to check only the authenticity of the language proficiency certificate, not the actual proficiency of its holder. The authenticity of the certificate is to be verified by a number of details such as the registration number, authenticity of the seal, etc., to eliminate any subjective opinion by a single official. The Latvian government this October formed a task force for evaluating the current human rights situation and to draft legislative amendments building on the UN human rights committee decision in the case of Latvian citizen Antonina Ignatane. BNS, Diena, Neatkariga, Latvijas Vestnesis, Telegraf

The tenth anniversary of the Baltic Assembly will be marked in the Latvian capital Riga on Thursday with several events to be attended also by Lithuanian and Estonian representatives. Thursday morning the heads of the Baltic delegations to the assembly will address the Latvian parliament. Speeches will be delivered by the Latvian delegation leader Romualds Razuks as well as his Estonian and Lithuanian counterparts, reported the Latvian parliament presidium. BNS, Diena

The tenth anniversary of the Baltic Assembly will be marked in the Latvian capital Riga on Thursday with several events to be attended also by Lithuanian and Estonian representatives. Thursday morning the heads of the Baltic delegations to the assembly will address the Latvian parliament. Speeches will be delivered by the Latvian delegation leader Romualds Razuks as well as his Estonian and Lithuanian counterparts, reported the Latvian parliament presidium. BNS, Diena

On Tuesday the government appointed entrepreneur S.Bukingolt to the Society Integration Foundation Council as a representative of the President.

On Tuesday the government appointed entrepreneur S.Bukingolt to the Society Integration Foundation Council as a representative of the President. Diena

Liepaja City Council decided to allot more than 1000 LVL in order 30 low income people at Liepaja Naval Port be able to study the state language. The financing was granted upon a proposal of the Society Harmony Commission.

Liepaja City Council decided to allot more than 1000 LVL in order 30 low income people at Liepaja Naval Port be able to study the state language. The financing was granted upon a proposal of the Society Harmony Commission. Diena

The Saeima Juridical Commission reacted to the proposal of the Central Election Commission to amend urgently the Saeima election law by sending all factions the proposals of the CEC. After receiving responses from the factions the Commission will decide on the necessary amendments. Expressions of the Commission members proved that they did not intend to support the radical proposal of the CEC Chairman A.Cimdars to abolish the system of crossing off deputy candidates from the list and leaving just a possibility to mark them with + or -.

The Saeima Juridical Commission reacted to the proposal of the Central Election Commission to amend urgently the Saeima election law by sending all factions the proposals of the CEC. After receiving responses from the factions the Commission will decide on the necessary amendments. Expressions of the Commission members proved that they did not intend to support the radical proposal of the CEC Chairman A.Cimdars to abolish the system of crossing off deputy candidates from the list and leaving just a possibility to mark them with + or -. Diena

The Russian magazine "Kommersant dengi" has been running an advertisement for about six months, which suggests that Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and French citizenship can be bought. After calling the telephone number, it was established that Latvian citizenship could be bought for USD 20,000, and obtained in three to six months. The newspaper "Neatkariga Rita Avize" reports today that the ad does not say directly that citizenship can be bought for cash; it says that prices are reasonable and citizenship can be obtained without turning to any middlemen. The Naturalisation Administration's head Eizenija Aldermane categorically denied that anyone could obtain Latvian citizenship in this manner. Each application is reviewed by at least seven people at the administration, and it is not likely "that they all are corrupt". Aldermane said that this case most probably deals with an experienced swindler or this is "some political trick attempting to sling mud at our administration and the Citizenship and Migration Administration". "If anything like this happens at all, this is most likely linked with the sale of counterfeit passports," explained Aldermane.

The Russian magazine "Kommersant dengi" has been running an advertisement for about six months, which suggests that Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and French citizenship can be bought. After calling the telephone number, it was established that Latvian citizenship could be bought for USD 20,000, and obtained in three to six months. The newspaper "Neatkariga Rita Avize" reports today that the ad does not say directly that citizenship can be bought for cash; it says that prices are reasonable and citizenship can be obtained without turning to any middlemen. The Naturalisation Administration's head Eizenija Aldermane categorically denied that anyone could obtain Latvian citizenship in this manner. Each application is reviewed by at least seven people at the administration, and it is not likely "that they all are corrupt". Aldermane said that this case most probably deals with an experienced swindler or this is "some political trick attempting to sling mud at our administration and the Citizenship and Migration Administration". "If anything like this happens at all, this is most likely linked with the sale of counterfeit passports," explained Aldermane. Neatkariga

On November 8 – 9 Charles, Prince of Wales will visit Latvia upon an invitation of Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

On November 8 – 9 Charles, Prince of Wales will visit Latvia upon an invitation of Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Neatkariga

Political scientist Ilze Ostrovska commenting on the political situation in Latvia states that she does not see any ethnic conflict in the profound meaning of this word in Latvia. When asked why Latvians vote for Latvian parties and Russians for Russian parties, I.Ostrovska answered that this issue had been over exaggerated because politics was too closely linked with economics. Now the question is how to distinguish your own people from strangers, and the simples way is – Latvian – non-Latvian, Russian – non-Russian.

Political scientist Ilze Ostrovska commenting on the political situation in Latvia states that she does not see any ethnic conflict in the profound meaning of this word in Latvia. When asked why Latvians vote for Latvian parties and Russians for Russian parties, I.Ostrovska answered that this issue had been over exaggerated because politics was too closely linked with economics. Now the question is how to distinguish your own people from strangers, and the simples way is – Latvian – non-Latvian, Russian – non-Russian. Chas

Russian-speaking newspaper

Russian-speaking newspaper Chas published an advertisement of Russian TV broadcast company OPT stating that in the Baltic States resided about 300 Chinese, 250 Africans and 2 000 000 Russians and Russian-speaking.

Newspaper

Newspaper Chas journalist writes that a private school in Latvia is almost the only educational institution where the state has no right to dictate the language of tuition although sometimes when licensing a private school state officials demanded to chose one of the four bilingual education models offered by the Ministry of Education and Science or to indicate three mandatory subjects that will be taught in the Latvian language. In reality such a demand has no grounds. The law on education stipulates that a private school holds the right to choose the language of tuition. The journalist interviewed the Director of private gymnasium Maxima O.Isakova, who was also a board member of the Association for Support of Russian-speaking schools in Latvia. Ms.Isakova spoke about the existing system in Latvia when only those private schools received state financing which taught in the state language although all parents paid taxes here.

M.Demurin, former Russian diplomat to Latvia gave an interview to the newspaper

M.Demurin, former Russian diplomat to Latvia gave an interview to the newspaper Vesti Segodnya. The high-ranking diplomat assured that nothing much had changed in the priorities of Latvian foreign policy since the meeting of Russian and Latvian presidents. Speed of naturalisation is decreasing. Russian-speakers are still deprived of the possibility to realise their rights here. Of course, Russia has observed some easements in the naturalisation process – lowering of state fee for naturalisation and equating school state language exams to the naturalisation test. But for solving the problem of mass statelessness it is not enough. The second problem is preservation of the Russian language and education. And the plans of Latvian government to abolish education in the Russian language do not comply with international standards stipulated in the Framework Convention.