• Latvijas Avize prints an article about Chinese citizens residing in Latvia

According to the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, there are about 1000 Chinese citizens currently residing in Latvia. The large part of Chinese citizens received resident permits in exchange for the purchase of real estate in Latvia. Head of the Chinese Association in Latvia says that the reasons why Chinese citizens choose Latvia is nature, security, level of culture and attitude towards them. He also says that further the number of Chinese in Latvia most likely will not grow because of the amendments to the Immigration Law which raised the minimum cost of real estate required in order to receive the residence permit. Latvijas Avize

• Initiative “For United, Inclusive and Tolerant Society in Latvia” published on a social initiative platform manabalss.lv
• Security Police proposes to amend legal regulation on dissemination of war propaganda

Latvijas Avize reports about a new initiative published on a social initiative platform manabalss.lv called “For United, Inclusive and Tolerant Society in Latvia.” The initiative includes summary of proposals made at a forum of Latvian ethnic minorities conducted on 14 November by the Ministry of Culture, its Advisory Committee of Ethnic Minority NGOs, and Latvian Community Initiative Foundation. Forum participants proposed:  to strengthen inclusion of representatives of all ethnicities in local communities by supporting events where alongside the state language also other languages could be used as working languages; to support projects of ethnic minority NGOs helping to preserve uniqueness of every culture; to promote new effective participation forms, especially on the Internet; to promote interaction of young people of different ethnic origins; to ensure learning of state language and ethnic minority languages; to preserve rights of ethnic minority students to pass centralised examination in their native language; to prevent closure of ethnic minority schools and to preserve minority education programs; to increase number of programmes in minority languages in local media; etc.  Authors of the initiative want these and other proposals to be included in the government’s actions plan and other corresponding policy documents.

The Security Police (SP) proposes to amend legal regulation on distribution of war propaganda. The SP considers that the war propaganda promotes radicalisation of specific persons who go to the war-torn regions with an aim to take part in the military actions and become members of terrorist or criminal organisations. The SP proposes to include in the Criminal Law liability for illegal participation in military conflicts. Vesti Segodnya

• Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee discussed bilingual education and integration

Neatkariga reports about a session of the Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee discussing bilingual education and integration issues. The discussion highlighted a problem with the lack of teachers with good Latvian language proficiency in minority schools and lack of funding in order to attract more professionals to schools. Head of the Society Integration Department of the Ministry of Culture Solvita Vevere proposed to organize common projects engaging representatives of different nationalities.  Therefore, one of the tasks is raising up leaders among ethnic minority young people. The Ministry of Culture asked for EUR 700,000 for integration for the 2015, however, most likely such money from state budget will not be granted.

• Annual conference "Jews in the changing world" has taken place in Riga
• Kraslava residents believe pro-Russian attitude is created by the statesmen’s long-term indifference and incitement of ethnic hatred
• Vesti Segodnya: public figures are scaring the society with "Russian threat" 

Annual conference "Jews in the changing world" has taken place in Riga. Historians, researchers and representatives of Jewish diaspora discussed topical problems of the world, such as new raise of anti-Semitism, Islamic fundamentalism, xenophobia etc.), as well as recalled the history of Latvia – 73 years has passed since the beginning of mass extermination of Jews in November 1941. There are nearly 9,000 Jews in Latvia today. Vesti Segodnya 

Diena journalist interviewed residents of Kraslava (city close to border with Byelorussia). According to the journalist, there is certain "stubbornness" towards Riga, feeling that Riga takes everything – "jobs, opportunities, state money and the EU money" – and Latgale get only if there are leftovers. Several residents admitted they would not object if Latgale would join Russia. Kraslava residents believe pro-Russian attitude is created by the statesmen’s long-term indifference and incitement of ethnic hatred. One resident complained that after independence she was declared "non-citizen". Among more than 30 people interviewed in Kraslava, none encountered any pro-Russian or anti-state agitators. Four residents heard rumours, including from the media. The journalist also visited local Russian school Varaviksne ("Rainbow"). The schools’ director insists the school regularly conducts activities to increase patriotism and knowledge of culture among the students. The director also denies allegation that the school received donation from the opposition party and stresses that the alleged money was state funding. 

Editorial in Vesti Segodnya believes that following events in Ukraine some public figures (experts, politicians, researchers) are scaring the society with "Russian threat". The editorial believes Russian Federation would not interfere in Latvia, because, unlike in Ukraine, there was no coup d’etat in Latvia. The newspaper suggests consolidation of society would be promoted if the government improves social economic situation, guarantees accessibility of education in native language, streamlines naturalisation.

 

• Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks: transfer of education in minority schools into Latvian only would be in violation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

In an interview with LTV1 Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muiznieks highlighted positive developments such as the easier registration procedure of new born children of non-citizens as Latvian citizens. Regarding the large number of non-citizens in Latvia, the Commissioner said that it is rather a political than a human rights issue, but underlined child’s right to nationality. Mr Muiznieks noted that some accusations concerning human rights violations in Latvia such as the rebirth or glorification of Nazism are false. He also praised the fact that the new government removed from the government’s declaration plans to transfer education in minority schools to Latvian language only. The Commissioner said that the discussions about language reform by the previous government completely ignored Latvia’s obligations under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the decision of the Constitutional Court about minority education, and other Latvia’s human rights commitments. Vesti Segodnya