• Neatkariga prints an article about options for development of immigration policy in Latvia
• Radical nationalists disagree with the notion that there are no occupants in Latvia

According to the

According to the Neatkariga, due to decrease of birth rate and large number of emigrated Latvian residents there is urgent need to decide how to fill the gap of economically active residents. Latvia should decide whether it is better to attract guest workers from third countries or to use local sources in more rational way. The Ministry of Interior is planning to begin elaboration of the immigration policy guidelines in the near future.

Newspapers continue to report about the process of forming new ruling coalition. Experts representing Zatlers’ Reforms Party and the Unity are developing draft coalition declaration. The draft acknowledges that there are no occupants in Latvia today: in legal and moral terms, citizens and non-citizens of Latvia are not responsible for occupation and its consequences. The leader of radical nationalist union “All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM” Raivis Dzintars issued public announcement disagreeing with the notion that there are no occupants in Latvia today.

Newspapers continue to report about the process of forming new ruling coalition. Experts representing Zatlers Reforms Party and the Unity are developing draft coalition declaration. The draft acknowledges that there are no occupants in Latvia today: in legal and moral terms, citizens and non-citizens of Latvia are not responsible for occupation and its consequences. The leader of radical nationalist union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Raivis Dzintars issued public announcement disagreeing with the notion that there are no occupants in Latvia today. Latvijas Avize (08.10.2011), Vesti Segodnya

• Ex-Speaker of the Saeima Janis Straume: it is very important to restore the trust of Russian speaking residents towards the state
• Ministry of Economics proposed to toughen legal norms regulating issuance of residence permits to foreign investors

Ex-Speaker of the Saeima and ex-member of the nationalists’ party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Janis Straume considers that it is very important to restore the trust of Russian speaking residents towards the state. Mr Straume believes that Russian speakers do not trust ethnic Latvian politicians because these politicians do not take into consideration the interests of Russian speaking voters after the elections. Mr Straume also believes that the governing coalition with the Concord Centre would be more stabile than the coalition with the nationalists’ union.

Ex-Speaker of the Saeima and ex-member of the nationalists party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Janis Straume considers that it is very important to restore the trust of Russian speaking residents towards the state. Mr Straume believes that Russian speakers do not trust ethnic Latvian politicians because these politicians do not take into consideration the interests of Russian speaking voters after the elections. Mr Straume also believes that the governing coalition with the Concord Centre would be more stabile than the coalition with the nationalists union. Chas

Telegraf reports that the Ministry of Economics proposed to toughen legal norms regulating issuance of residence permits to foreign investors. The Ministry proposed to exclude a norm which allows granting residence permits to investors who bought real estate in Riga and resort town Jurmala thus granting permits only for owners of real estate in regions. The Ministry also proposed to raise five-fold the minimum amount of investments into Latvian economy: from LVL 100,000 to 500,000 (EUR 140990 to EUR 704950). Realtors companies criticize such proposals arguing that those will diminish number of potential investors by 90%.

• Diena prints an article about differences in habits of Latvians and Russians in Latvia
• 1479 foreign citizens were granted residence permits in Latvia for their investments in economy

According to study conducted by

According to study conducted by Diena, Latvians and Russians in Latvia interact well with each other in the majority of life spheres except for mass media. The majority of Latvians choose local TV channels and Latvian language newspapers, while, Russians in Latvia watch foreign and local Russian language TV channels and read Russian language newspapers. Experts interviewed by Diena, believe that there is no reason to view Latvia as dual-community state because there are no ethnic problems in daily life. According to an academic Sergejs Kruks, the new draft integration program elaborated by the Ministry of Culture does not correspond to the needs of the society. According to political scientist Nils Muiznieks, as a result of inclusion of Concord Centre into the ruling coalition, Russians could change their perception of the state as an ethnically Latvian power.

1479 foreign investors who invested LVL 105,3 millions into Latvian economy were granted residence permits in Latvia since 1 July 2010. Residence permits were granted to 542 Russian citizens and 53 Ukrainians. Among the investors there were also citizens of the U.S.A., Kirgizstan, Israel, Lebanon, Moldova, Syria and other countries.

1479 foreign investors who invested LVL 105,3 millions into Latvian economy were granted residence permits in Latvia since 1 July 2010. Residence permits were granted to 542 Russian citizens and 53 Ukrainians. Among the investors there were also citizens of the U.S.A., Kirgizstan, Israel, Lebanon, Moldova, Syria and other countries. Telegraf

• Minister of Culture assured that the new integration program will be approved by the effective government
• Valdis Zatlers: inclusion of the Concord Centre in the governing coalition will consolidate the society
• Influx of Georgian asylum seekers to Latvia

Latvijas Avize reports about the progress in the process of approval of the draft National Identity, Civil Society and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte has assured that the document will be approved by the effective government in October. According to the Minister, it is planned to review the document at the coalitions session on 10 October and to approve it in the Cabinet of Ministers on 11 October. The draft integration program is criticized by various NGOs. Ethnic minorities NGOs believe that the document is a complete failure and will be ignored by ethnic minorities.

The ex-President and the leader of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party Valdis Zatlers states that the inclusion of the Concord Centre (CC) in the governing coalition will ensure stability and consolidate the society. Mr Zatlers believes that the coalition with the CC will end distrust between ethnic groups in Latvia.

The ex-President and the leader of the Zatlers Reforms Party Valdis Zatlers states that the inclusion of the Concord Centre (CC) in the governing coalition will ensure stability and consolidate the society. Mr Zatlers believes that the coalition with the CC will end distrust between ethnic groups in Latvia. Chas

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, there is an influx of asylum seekers from Georgia to Latvia. 258 applications for asylum were received from Georgian citizens since the beginning of the year, which is four times more than in 2010.

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, there is an influx of asylum seekers from Georgia to Latvia. 258 applications for asylum were received from Georgian citizens since the beginning of the year, which is four times more than in 2010. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Zatlers Reforms Party wants to establish the governing coalition in co-operation with the Concord Centre and the Unity
• Weekly magazine Sestdiena prints an article about a member of the nationalists union Janis Iesalnieks known for his radical statements

The board of the Zatlers Reforms Party took a decision that it wants to establish the governing coalition in co-operation with the Concord Centre (CC) and the Unity. The Prime Minister of such coalition should be the present governments head Valdis Dombrovskis (the Unity). Representatives of the Unity, in their turn, consider that coalition with the CC is not possible due to ideological reasons and want to see the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM as the third partner. The parties will continue negotiations about the establishment of the coalition this week. Telegraf, Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga

Weekly magazine Sestdiena prints an article about the MP, member of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Janis Iesalnieks known for his radical statements. Mr Iesalnieks asserts that the majority of his statements are incorrectly understood and drawn out of context. He also denies that ever express anti-Semitic statements. During the recent time Janis Iesalnieks got criticized for comments regarding the tragic events in Norway on 22 July stating that multiculturalists should feel guilty for the massacre because their policy of islamisation led to insanity of the attacker. Later Mr Iesalnieks stated that statements of „intelligent anti-Semitism are permissible in discussions. And in the recent statement Janis Iesalnieks named voters of the Concord Centre colonists whose votes should not be taken into account. Political scientist Ivars Ijabs considers that statements made by Iesalnieks do not contradict the position of his party and acknowledges that these statements are controversial and are made on purpose.