• 18 Ukrainians applied for asylum in Latvia from the beginning of the year till 7 August

According to the latest information of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 18 Ukrainians applied for asylum in Latvia from the beginning of the year till 7 August. The Ukrainian asylum seekers come from the Eastern part of Ukraine – from Luhansk, Doneck, Dnepropetrovsk and Zaparozhye region. Majority of the asylum seekers have relatives residing in Latvia. Diena

• Neatkariga reports about increasing number of Ukrainians arriving to Latvia
• Russia will issue special visa for foreign citizens who want to become its citizens

Neatkariga reports about increasing number of Ukrainians arriving to Latvia. According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), during the first half of 2014, it has received 9 asylum applications and granted 290 residence permits to Ukrainian citizens. The purpose of the majority of Ukrainians applying for residence permit is purchase of real estate in Latvia, family reunification, and work. The OCMA also links the increasing number of arriving Ukrainians with the military conflict in Ukraine. Head of the Union of Ukrainian Associations in Latvia Ludmila Bilinceva says she receives regularly phone calls from newly arrived Ukrainians asking questions on how to apply for refugee status in Latvia, where to learn Latvian language, how to apply for kindergarten, and etc.  

Vesti Segodnya reports that the government of the Russian Federation published a decree about new type of visa for foreign citizens acknowledged as Russian native speakers. New type of visa can be granted for a time period of one year to those foreign citizens who want to move to Russia with an aim of becoming its citizens.

• Latvijas Avize interviews the author of the Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia Levits

Latvijas Avize interviews the author of the Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia, judge of the European Court of Human Rights Egils Levits. The Preamble elaborated by Mr Levits came into force on 22 July but the adopted version differs from the initial by exclusion of a notion of  “state nation” referring to ethnic Latvians.  Mr Levits says that the notion was taken out due to controversial discussions about it, however, the meaning of “state nation” is described in the Preamble’s text. Mr Levits believes that the notion “state nation” should be used more frequently in public space and media. According to Mr Levits, there is a notion of ethnic minorities in Latvian Constitution and therefore there should also be the notion of state nation in order to stress that Latvia is a national state like other European countries. Mr Levits also says that relatively large part of Latvian residents believes that Latvia is like Australia which hosts immigrants from different countries pushing aside local residents and establishing state based on a new public agreement.

• The MP Valerijs Agesins proposes to grant Latvian non-citizens the right to sign collective initiatives
• Ambassador of the United State of America to Latvia Mark Pekala: diversity has a great power
• MP Valerijs Agesins repeatedly received threats from the national radicals’ organisation “Tautas Tribunals”

The MP from the Concord Centre Valerijs Agesins submitted draft amendments to the Saeima’s Rules of Procedure granting Latvian non-citizens the right to sign collective legislative initiatives to be submitted to the Saeima. Presently, 10,000 signatures of Latvian citizens above the age of 16 years are required to submit a collective initiative for the revision in the Parliament. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize interviews the Ambassador of the United State of America to Latvia Mark Pekala who is leaving the post. Regarding the integration process in Latvia, Mr Pekala says that such issue should be discussed and decided by Latvian residents. Mr Pekala notes that Americans believe that diversity has a great power, it is a value and a source.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the MP Valerijs Agesins (substitute of the head of the Saeima’s faction of the Concord Centre) repeatedly received threats from the national radicals’ organisation “Tautas Tribunals” (People’s Tribunal). Mr Agesins previously already has received threats to life from the leader of the organisation Linards Grantins. However, the Security police and the prosecutor’s office did not find the threats realistic. Moreover, Mr. Grantins permanently resides in Germany. The latest letter with threats and assaults received by Mr Agesins were sent recently by Mr Grantins who arrived to Latvia.

31 July 2014 

• Latvia’s Russian Union expects at least 10 seats in the new parliament 

Diena writes about the political party "Latvia’s Russian Union" (former "For Human Rights in United Latvia") and its preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections (scheduled for 4 October 2014). Representatives of "Latvia’s Russian Union" believe their party will receive at least 10 seats in the new parliament. The newspaper highlights the voters of this party tend avoid disclosing their support. The main principles of this party are basically the same as before – “to fight against ethnic discrimination, to achieve official status for Russian language, availability of education in Russian at all levels, protection of traditional family values and resolution of non-citizenship problem”. The party lists include some candidates who are not citizens of the party, as well as some representatives of non-political NGOs.