• Ukrainian community in Latvia celebrates its 100th anniversary

Telegraf reports that the Ukrainian community in Latvia celebrates its 100th anniversary. First Ukrainian NGO was registered in Latvia in 1911. According to the head of the Ukrainian Union in Latvia Ludmila Belinceva, 92,000 ethnic Ukrainians resided in Latvia at the end of the XX century but the precise present number will be known after publication of the results of the national census conducted earlier this year.

• Latvijas Avize reports about a public discussion on the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018 held in Riga
• Nationalists criticize, while experts agree with the statement of the Chief of the State Police that the police officers should be proficient in Russian
• Interpreters company will help to communicate with asylum seekers placed in the detention centre for illegal immigrants
• President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities
• Telegraf prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, MP Raivis Dzintars

Latvijas Avize reports about a public discussion on the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture held in Riga. Representatives of state institutions and NGOs took part in the discussion. The participants discussed the definition of the notion state nation introduced by the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte describing a nation which formed and established the country in which its language, culture could exist and where it could govern in a democratic way. In Latvia such nation is ethnic Latvians. Academic Leo Dribins argued that the notion state nation (Staatfolk) was introduced in Germany in XIX century and presently in used only in academic papers and none European country, accept Hungary, use it in policy papers. Discussing aims of the Guidelines, representative of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Boris Koltchanov objected to determination of true and false social and historical memories arguing that such approach is totalitarian.

Chas reports that ethnic Latvian nationalists criticize statement made by the Chief of the State Police Ints Kuzis that police officers in Latvia should be proficient not only in Latvian but also in Russian language. Member of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Imants Paradnieks believes that requirement for Russian proficiency from police officers is unacceptable. At the same time, ex-Chief of the State Police Juris Reksna agrees with Mr Kuzis arguing that every police officer who faces Latvias reality should be proficient in Russian and English and these are normal professional skills. The acting Minister of Interior Aigars Stokenbergs believes that proficiency in foreign languages is advantage and in such cities as Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia with the majority of Russian speaking residents) the police officers should be proficient in Russian.

The State Border Guard Service chosen an interpreters’ company which will help to communicate with asylum seekers and illegal immigrants placed in the detention centre in Daugavpils. The stuff members of the detention centre face communication problems with immigrants from Asian and African countries due to luck of proficiency of their native languages. The interpreters’ company will provide also translation assistance in courts.

The State Border Guard Service chosen an interpreters company which will help to communicate with asylum seekers and illegal immigrants placed in the detention centre in Daugavpils. The stuff members of the detention centre face communication problems with immigrants from Asian and African countries due to luck of proficiency of their native languages. The interpreters company will provide also translation assistance in courts. Chas

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities and appointed head of the Latvian Azerbaijan cultural centre Romans Alijevs to the post of the chairman of the Committee. The Committee worked also during the ex-President Valdis Zatlers. The aim of the Committee is promotion of dialogue concerning ethnic, cultural, language and religious minorities and their social and political inclusion.

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities and appointed head of the Latvian Azerbaijan cultural centre Romans Alijevs to the post of the chairman of the Committee. The Committee worked also during the ex-President Valdis Zatlers. The aim of the Committee is promotion of dialogue concerning ethnic, cultural, language and religious minorities and their social and political inclusion. Chas

Telegraf prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, MP Raivis Dzintars. According to Mr Dzintars, the union wants to stimulate those Latvians who emigrated from the country to come back, and, at the same time, those Russians who do not want to reside in Latvia anymore should be stimulated for repatriation to Russia. Mr. Dzintars believes that influx of guest workers from Russia and other CIS countries is unacceptable for Latvia because they will have no motivation to study Latvian language.

• Leader of the Concord Centre, MP Janis Urbanovics: Latvia will become multicultural state
• Ombudsman Juris Jansons promises to promote solution of the mass scale non-citizenship in Latvia

Weekly magazine

Weekly magazine Sestdiena prints an interview with the leader of the Concord Centre, MP Janis Urbanovics. Mr Urbanovics believes that Latvia will become multicultural state. According to Mr Urbanovics, in order to become more ethnically Latvian, the state should have more respect towards representatives of other cultures and ethnic Latvians should feel them selves more secure.

The status of non-citizens lasts unacceptably long time and it indicates deficit of democracy in Latvia – stated the Ombudsman Juris Jansons. The Ombudsman promised to promote the process of decreasing the number of non-citizens in Latvia. The Ombudsman also stated that he will speak with politicians more about tolerance, inclusion of non-citizens in political and social life, and widening of opportunities of democratic involvement.

The status of non-citizens lasts unacceptably long time and it indicates deficit of democracy in Latvia – stated the Ombudsman Juris Jansons. The Ombudsman promised to promote the process of decreasing the number of non-citizens in Latvia. The Ombudsman also stated that he will speak with politicians more about tolerance, inclusion of non-citizens in political and social life, and widening of opportunities of democratic involvement. Vesti Segodnya

• Working hours of poling stations on the election day may be extended until 10 pm upon request by Jewish organisations
• Chief of State Police Ints Kuzis: police officers should be proficient not only in Latvian but also in Russian
• Ombudsmans Office launches information campaign about human rights and good governance
• Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union from Latvia Egils Levits: Latvia is national state of ethnic Latvians
• Composer Zigmars Liepins: times of multiculturalism have ended

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee will review a request submitted by the Latvian Jewish organisations requesting the extension of working hours of the polling stations on the election day. The Jewish community have highlighted the difficulties of taking part in the parliamentary elections as they are held on Saturday – the day of Shabbat and the polling stations close at 8 pm, shortly before the Shabbat ends. The Jewish organisations have requested the extension of working hours of the polling stations until 10 pm.

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee will review a request submitted by the Latvian Jewish organisations requesting the extension of working hours of the polling stations on the election day. The Jewish community have highlighted the difficulties of taking part in the parliamentary elections as they are held on Saturday – the day of Shabbat and the polling stations close at 8 pm, shortly before the Shabbat ends. The Jewish organisations have requested the extension of working hours of the polling stations until 10 pm. Telegraf

Chief of the State Police Ints Kuzis believes that the police officers should be proficient not only in Latvian but also in Russian. He underlines that it is impossible to work in Latvia’s police without the Russian language proficiency.

Chief of the State Police Ints Kuzis believes that the police officers should be proficient not only in Latvian but also in Russian. He underlines that it is impossible to work in Latvias police without the Russian language proficiency. Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize reports about a public information campaign launched by the Ombudsmans Office about human rights and good governance. Materials have been placed and are being distributed in the public transport in Riga informing the residents about their right to housing, non-discrimination, right to opinion, freedom of assembly, good governance, free education and medicine for children.

Latvia is  a nation state of ethnic Latvians and like other democratic countries Latvia guarantees the rights of ethnic minorities and immigrants – says Egils Levits, the judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union from Latvia in an interview with

Latvia is a nation state of ethnic Latvians and like other democratic countries Latvia guarantees the rights of ethnic minorities and immigrants – says Egils Levits, the judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union from Latvia in an interview with Latvijas Avize. He believes that the nation state does not mean that the country becomes isolated or it grants special advantages to the states nation or that ethnic minorities and immigrants are less respected. But the nation state means that the language of the states nation, culture, and social memory is common for all permanent residents regardless of their ethnic background.

Latvian composer Zigmars Liepins in an interview with

Latvian composer Zigmars Liepins in an interview with Diena criticizes the ideas of multiculturalism stressing that only a strong nation state can survive. He also believes that it should go without saying that the Russian speaking residents must be proficient in the Latvian language.

• Head of an NGO Prata Speks Igors Kuzmuks criticizes the draft integration program elaborated by the Ministry of Culture
• Diena prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Raivis Dzintars
• Famous Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls: Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte speaks only about integration and does nothing for culture
• Security Police initiated a criminal proceeding for action intentionally aimed at incitement of ethnic and racial hatred and public call to destroy Latvias territorial unity

Vesti Segodnya interviews head of an NGO Prata Speks (which provides free-of-charge Latvian language courses for non-Latvians), deputy of the Riga City Council Igors Kuzmuks about the draft integration program elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. Mr Kuzmuks criticizes the program arguing that it separates the society in three major groups – ethnic Latvians, ethnic minorities who are Latvian citizens, and non-citizens who got named as long-term-immigrants. Mr Kuzmuks believes that such division by definition cannot consolidate the society. Mr Kuzmuks also notes that in the process of elaboration of the draft program none of the principle remarks made by corresponding experts got taken into consideration by the authors of the program.

Diena prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Raivis Dzintars. According to Mr Dzintars, the consolidated society can be achieved by gradual transition of all society into one informative space. Mr. Dzintars believes that education system also should be gradually Latvianised arguing that bilingual education system is too expensive. Mr Dzintars positively evaluates that the draft integration program elaborated by the Ministry of Culture believing that it is prepared much better than previous programs and it has a good frame.

Famous Latvian composer, ex-MP Raimonds Pauls in an interview with

Famous Latvian composer, ex-MP Raimonds Pauls in an interview with Neatkariga criticizes the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte. According to the composer, the Minister speaks only about integration of society and does nothing for culture in Latvia. Mr Pauls also believes that ethnic Latvians should refrain of pressuring Russia and ethnic Russians to acknowledge the occupation of Latvia by the USSR, arguing that many ethnic Latvians got engaged in the work of Cheka (Extraordinary Commission - Soviet security organisation after the revolution) in its crimes and they do not apologise for it.

The Security Police initiated a criminal proceeding for action intentionally aimed at incitement of ethnic and racial hatred or instigation of discord and public calls to destroy Latvia’s territorial unity. The criminal proceeding is initiated for dissemination of leaflets in Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia) which assert that ethnic Latvian nationalists oppress ethnic Russian residents, the existing political regime is colonial and should be replaced by the “people’s trust front.” Author of the leaflets also believes that Latgale region (Eastern part of Latvia) should be detached from Latvia and given to Russia.

The Security Police initiated a criminal proceeding for action intentionally aimed at incitement of ethnic and racial hatred or instigation of discord and public calls to destroy Latvias territorial unity. The criminal proceeding is initiated for dissemination of leaflets in Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia) which assert that ethnic Latvian nationalists oppress ethnic Russian residents, the existing political regime is colonial and should be replaced by the peoples trust front. Author of the leaflets also believes that Latgale region (Eastern part of Latvia) should be detached from Latvia and given to Russia. Latvijas Avize