• President-elect of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis will give interviews to media in Russian if necessary
• Latvijas Avize reports about a case when a doctor refused to speak with a Russian speaking patient in Russian language

The President-elect of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis in an interview with Diena said that as a President he will speak to the representatives of printed media in Latvian language. But in TV or radio interviews and especially in live broadcasts he can also speak in Russian language if necessary.

Latvijas Avize reports about a case when a doctor refused to speak with a Russian speaking patient in Russian language. According to the newspaper, the patient wrote a compliant to the National Health Service about the doctor who reproached the patient for poor Latvian language proficiency and refused to speak in Russian – the patient’s native language. The National Health Service replied to the complainant that there is no legal requirement for the doctors to speak to patients in foreign languages. The doctor in an interview with the newspaper also confirmed that she speaks to the patients, especially young people in Latvian language only. The doctor said that there have been 25 years for non-Latvian residents to learn the state language. The doctor also said that it is not easy for her to explain everything in details to patients in Russian, therefore, she suggested the patient to search for another doctor who would speak in the patient’s native language or to come with an interpreter. According to Latvijas Avize, the story was distributed by Russia’s mass media highlighting that Latvian doctor refused the provision of medical aid to a Russian speaking patient.

• President-elect of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis: Latvia should be proud of its national minority schools

The newly elected President of Latvia (currently the Minister of Defence) Raimonds Vejonis in an interview with Vesti Segodnya stated that Latvia should be proud of its national minority schools. Mr Vejonis believes that the bilingual education system has proved its effectiveness and no radical reforms are needed. At the same time, he did not exclude that in the future the basic subjects could be taught in Latvian language, but national minorities will have possibility to learn their native language, traditions and culture. Raimonds Vejonis also stated that he does not support introduction of refugee quotas and it is more important to provide help to the refugees’ countries of origin. 

• Minister of Education Marite Seile: there are no plans to liquidate bilingual education system in Latvia
• Prorector of the Riga Graduate School of Law Martins Mits elected as judge to the European Court of Human Rights

According to the Minister of Education Marite Seile, the Ministry does not have plans to liquidate bilingual education system in Latvia. The Minister stressed that transition of all national minority schools into Latvian language only in 2018 is not feasible. The Minister also reminded that the governing coalition’s agreement does not foresee the transition of all schools into Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers report that the Prorector of the Riga Graduate School of Law Martins Mits elected as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Latvia. Mr Mits obtained an absolute majority of votes cast for three candidates appointed by Latviaand elected for a term of nine years. After the election, Mr Mits stated “All my professional activities were connected to human rights and the European Human Rights Convention is my speciality.” Latvijas Avize, Diena, Neatkariga

• The Saeima approved amendments to Education Law 

Yesterday, the Saeima approved amendments to Education Law. The amendments stipulate that education establishment, except for universities, protects the pupil from such information and methods in education and upbringing process, which do not comply with the goal of the provision of moral development of the pupil as provided by Education Law. The amendments also stipulate that teachers and directors should be loyal to the state. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

• Ombudsman Juris Jansons proposes to conduct a consultative referendum about accommodation of refugees in Latvia
• Interview with the head of the Riga Office of the International Organisation for Migration Ilmars Mezs about possible accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

The Ombudsman Juris Jansons proposes to conduct a consultative referendum about accommodation of refugees in Latvia. The Ombudsman believes that democratic state should listen to the society’s opinion on such issues. Head of the Saeima’s Foreign Affairs Committee, MP Ojars Eriks Kalnins (Unity) does not see the necessity for such referendum and believes that it is rather important to inform the society about the European migration policy and its impact. He stresses that so far there were too many emotional slogans about this issue and no serious discussion about the accommodation of refugees for the larger public. Mr Kalnins also says that it is dangerous to take decision on difficult political issues through public survey if residents have not profoundly explored the issue. The MP Rihards Kols (National Union) does not support such referendum but believes that it would be enough with a public opinion survey showing negative attitude of residents towards the issue. Expert on the constitutional rights Edgars Pastars believes that issue on accommodation of refugees should be decided by the government as it is related to the international humanitarian obligations. Latvijas Avize

Diena interviews the head of the Riga Office of the International Organisation for Migration Ilmars Mezs about possible accommodation of asylum seekers inLatvia. Mr Mezs stresses that people often confuse who are illegal immigrants and who are asylum seekers or refugees. It is obligation of the society to rescue refugees and no one demandsLatvia to accommodate illegal immigrants, says Mr Mezs. He agree that Latvia should take fair part in the refugee burden that the other European countries face. However, he does not agree to the number of asylum seekers to be accommodated in Latvia as proposed by the European Commission. Ilmars Mezs believes that such number (737 – refugees per year) is too high andLatvia will not manage it. He says that even thoughEUR 6,000 will be granted for each accommodated asylum seeker, it will not be enough because about a third of this amount or up to a half, most likely, will be spent on administrative costs. And afterEUR 6,000 are spent, the Latvian budget or tax payers will be forced to ensure provision for them. He also doubts that the persons accommodated in Latvia will successful in integrating in the labour market even after two or three years. “Many of them, especially, those who come from African countries, will not have any education, there will be many illiterates who will be able to work only the least qualified jobs” says Ilmars Mezs. According to Mr. Mezs, most of those refugees who already live in Latvia, are not able to integrate into the labour market and to provide for themselves also after a year or two spent in Latvia, and big share of those who received refugee status in Latvia are already living in some rich West European counties.  Mr Mezs also says that the benefits for the refugees should be comparable to the standard of living of the poorest Latvian residents. Refugee quotas would also facilitate the business of trafficking in human beings, believes Mr. Mezs. As the possible solution of the issue, Ilmars Mezs proposes that Latvia as a pilot-project could try to accommodate 50-100 persons and to see whether after a year or two the majority of them is well integrated, ensures provisions for themselves and families and after that to consider whether the number proposed by the European Commission in feasible for Latvia.