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 Review

Press Review

In the letter to the Latvian Prime Minister the foreign investors, including the Presidents of the US, the UK and Swedish Cambers of Commerce and the President of the German -Latvian business association state that the requirement to use the Latvian language in the private enterprises will create the administrative obstacles to the foreign businesses in Latvia, undermining the government’s attempts to improve the business environment and to attract the foreign investors. They are not contempt with three particular requirements of the law, namely, the requirement for the employees to know and use the state language to the extent it is necessary for the performance of the professional and employment duties, the requirement for the enterprises to provide the information needed for the employee to carry out his/her employment duties in the state language, as well as the requirement to use the state language in the record-keeping and all internal documents. The business representatives ask the Prime Minister to postpone the final reading of the draft language law until the constructive proposals from the business community are received. Yesterday the Coalition Council agreed that the Prime Minster personally will submit to the Saeima Standing Committee on Education the proposals for the third reading of the language law prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Coalition Council did not support the suggestion to prolong the term of submitting the proposals for the third reading . All proposals should be submitted by 18 April. The OSCE assessment of the draft language law adopted in the second reading is expected to arrive at the end of this week.

In the letter to the Latvian Prime Minister the foreign investors, including the Presidents of the US, the UK and Swedish Cambers of Commerce and the President of the German -Latvian business association state that the requirement to use the Latvian language in the private enterprises will create the administrative obstacles to the foreign businesses in Latvia, undermining the governments attempts to improve the business environment and to attract the foreign investors. They are not contempt with three particular requirements of the law, namely, the requirement for the employees to know and use the state language to the extent it is necessary for the performance of the professional and employment duties, the requirement for the enterprises to provide the information needed for the employee to carry out his/her employment duties in the state language, as well as the requirement to use the state language in the record-keeping and all internal documents. The business representatives ask the Prime Minister to postpone the final reading of the draft language law until the constructive proposals from the business community are received. Yesterday the Coalition Council agreed that the Prime Minster personally will submit to the Saeima Standing Committee on Education the proposals for the third reading of the language law prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Coalition Council did not support the suggestion to prolong the term of submitting the proposals for the third reading . All proposals should be submitted by 18 April. The OSCE assessment of the draft language law adopted in the second reading is expected to arrive at the end of this week. Diena

Yesterday the Saeima Standing Committee on Human Rights rejected all proposals by the fraction

Yesterday the Saeima Standing Committee on Human Rights rejected all proposals by the fraction For Human Rights concerning the use of the language in the private sphere. The only proposal which was supported by the Committee provides the freedom to choose the language at the religious events. Commenting the yesterdays meeting of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, SM states that Latvia convincingly moves toward the language police state. B&B

In the interview for the

In the interview for the Panorama Latvii, the MP A. Bartashevich argue that the Latvian national-radicals refuse to understand that in order to join the EU, Latvia will have to sign the European Charter on regional and minority languages. Consequently, the Language Law and other laws will have to correspond with the European standards. At the moment the draft Language law completely contradicts this European document. Mr. Bartashevich assures the readers that the fraction For Human Rights will do the best to bring the draft language law in line with the European standards.

The disagreements between the coalition partners -

The disagreements between the coalition partners - New Party and For Fatherland and Freedom, concerning the necessity of two ministerial offices currently held by the Fatherland and Freedom (Special Minister on European Affairs, and Special Minister on Co-operations with the International Institutions) increase. Yesterday the Special Minister on European Affairs Mr. Guntars Krasts said that if the New Party continues to play this political game, it is free to leave the government, since its presence in the government is no decisive. The Prime Minster refrains from commenting the growing disagreements within the coalition. Meanwhile, the New Party suggests to supplement the Coalition agreement with a new chapter on the status of the social democrats in the coalition. Jauna Avize

Today the Saeima plans to consider the ratification of the 6th Protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the elimination of the death penalty, in the final reading.

Today the Saeima plans to consider the ratification of the 6th Protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the elimination of the death penalty, in the final reading. Neatkariga