• Interview with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks. Regarding the situation in Latvia, the Commissioner believes that large number of children with a status of non-citizen is still one of the most important problems in the country.  Mr Muiznieks believes it is a responsibility not of the parents but of the state to take care that every child born in the country is its’ citizen because it is in the best interests of a child. Mr Muiznieks also believes the majority of Russian speaking residents in Latvia will never assimilate because there are only a very few such cases, therefore, it is more relevant to evaluate the process of integration. The Commissioner also believes that in the next 20 years Latvia and other Eastern European countries should expect an influx of immigrants and countries will become more diverse.

• EUR 612,000 will be spend for establishment of the National Integration Centre
• 930 foreign students study at Riga Stradins University

LVL 430,000 (EUR 612,000) are granted for the establishment of the National Integration Centre in the framework of a project funded under the European Integration Fund of Third Country Nationals. It is planned the Centre will work during five months and will integrate about 300 third country nationals living in Latvia. Large part of the funding is to be allocated on institutional needs and salaries of 17 employees. The funding was allocated trough the Ministry of Culture as a part of a national integration program which was approved and elaborated by the ex-Minister Sarmite Elerte. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that 930 foreign citizens are studying at the Riga Stradins University, representing 13% of all students at the university. The university attracts students from European countries – Germany, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, UK, Ireland and other countries such as USA, Canada, Israel, Sri-Lanka, Georgia, Russia etc.  Most often foreign students study on medical programs in English language.

• Candidate to the post of the Mayor of Riga Sarmite Elerte compared attempts to prevent introduction of euro in Latvia with referendum on Russian language
• Newspapers report about a congress of a party “For Native Language”

 

Candidate to the post of the Mayor of Riga Sarmite Elerte (the Unity) compared attempts to prevent introduction of euro in Latvia with referendum on Russian language held in February 2012. Mrs Elerte stated that populists and “reds” try to split the society in order to stop development of the country. The MP Iveta Grigule (Union of Greens and Farmers) who collects signatures of the MPs for support the referendum on introduction of euro categorically object to such statement and believes that actions aimed at preservation of national currency cannot be considered as anti-national activities, but Mrs Elerte exploits propagandistic methods and image of enemy. Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers report about a congress of a party “For Native Language” The party has approved its program and nominated one of its leaders Illarions Girs as a candidate to the post of the Mayor of the Riga. According to the party program, its key points are: granting Russian language status of official language in Latvia and liquidation of state language inspection; liquidation of non-citizenship; support to the movement for autonomy of Latgale region; right of every Latvian resident to have its own opinion about history, while the “theory of occupation” which splits the society into “natives” and the “descendents of occupants” is unacceptable. The candidate to the post of Mayor Mr Girs believes that Riga could become a centre of “Russian world” abroad, while the museum of occupation should be renamed as the museum of the friendship of nations. The party also renamed its self “Party of Lindermans – For Native Langauge” Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Latvijas Avize

 

• Ministry of Finance: extra holiday for religious events would discriminate atheists and cost the state about LVL 10 millions
• Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks: Latvia will become more attractive to immigrants if it continues economic development

According to the Ministry of Finance, extra holiday for religious events could cost the state about LVL 10 millions (EUR 14 millions). Over the last 10 years several proposals to grant Russian Orthodox Christmas (7 January) status of a bank holiday were refused by the majority of the Saeima.  Therefore, the Reforms Party came with a proposal to grant Latvian residents one extra holiday a year to celebrate some important religious event of their choice. The Ministry of Finances warns not only about the high cost of such extra holiday but believes it would be unfair for those who do not belong to any religion. Neatkariga

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks believes the main problems regarding human rights in Latvia are the large number of children non-citizens, problems in the judicial system, and discrimination of Roma. The Commissioner also believes Latvia will become more attractive to immigrants if it continues economic development. Mr Muiznieks also believes that Latvia will never be a mono-ethnic country and he would better like to see Latvia as the country to which people are coming, not leaving it. Vesti Segodnya 

• Voluntary ethnicity entry to be re-introduced in passports starting with 1 April 2013
• 1,051 persons received administrative citations  for violation of the State Language Law in 2012

 The Cabinet of Ministers adopted amendments to the Rules of the Cabinet of Minister on Personal Identification Documents which re-introduce voluntary record on person’s ethnic affiliation in Latvian passportsstarting with 1 April 2013. As reported, initiators of amendments the MPs from the nationalist union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM believe such record strengthens national identity of ethnic Latvians. The voluntary record on ethnic affiliation was allowed in passports in the past, but was stopped in spring 2012  following recommendations by ECRI and international practice. Vesti Segodnya

 The State Language Centre (SLC) issued  1,051 persons with administrative citations for violation of the State Language Law in 2012. In total, the SLC received 1,144 complaints on violations which is twice the number received in 2011. Vesti Segodnya