• Saeima’s Legal Committee approved the Introduction  to the Constitution of Latvia
• Russian Union of Latvia held a picket in support of Crimea
• Statement claming to be a joke in support of reuniting Latvia with Russia put on facebook
• Prime Minister called the Ministers not to take part in the procession commemorating Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires on 16 March

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Legal Committee approved the Introduction (in previous versions called “Preamble”) to the Constitution of Latvia. According to the author of the Introduction Igils Levits, fathers of the Latvian Constitution could not imagine what changes will happen in Latvia. Mr Levits said that if those times there were no necessity to put emphasis on the meaning and the essence of the existence of a Latvian state, today there is such necessity. The Introduction to the Constitution says “Latvia was established uniting ethnic Latvians in historical land, based on a firm state will of ethnic Latvian nation and its irrevocable rights for self-determination in order to guarantee existence and development of ethnic Latvian nation, its language and culture through centuries, insure freedom of every person and all nations and promote welfare.” Vesti Segodnya, Diena

Yesterday the Russian Union of Latvia (former political party For Human Righs in United Latvia (FHRUL)) held a picket in support of Crimea. According to representatives of the picket’s organisers, after takeover by Western Ukrainian extremists in Kiev, the people of Crimea took initiative into their hands in order to survive, preserve their dignity and protect their interests.  About 150 persons took part in the picket. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga

Vesti Segodnya reports that a facebook group “Russians in Latvia” published a statement about collection of signatures in support of reuniting Latvia with Russia stressing benefits Latvia would gain from it. As the post scriptum of the statement it is said that it is just a joke.

The Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma called the Ministers not to take part in the procession commemorating Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires on 16 March in Riga. Earlier, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Einars Cilinskis representing nationalists’ union stated that he will take part in the procession as he has done it in all previous years. According to Diena, if the Minister decides to take part in the procession he might be dismissed from the post.

• Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs: there will be no Russian tanks in Latvia
• Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov: Russia is ready to save Latvian non-citizens from poverty
• Minister of Education Ina Druviete has met with the activists for protection of Russian schools Vladimirs Buzajevs and Aleksandrs Gilmans

The  Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs in an interview with radio Baltcom stated that it is important to understand that part of ethnic Latvians are really frightened by the current events in Ukraine as also in the history of Latvia there were times of foreign military intervention, including Soviet forces. Mr Usakovs called Russian speaking residents of Latvia to help to minimize such fears by saying to ethnic Latvians that there will be no Russian tanks in Latvia.

According to the Russia’s Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov, Russia is ready to save Latvian non-citizens from poverty by granting them citizenship and pension without a requirement to reside in Russia. Presently, the Russian government discusses a draft law on granting Russia’s citizenship to foreigners who are native Russian language speakers. The Ambassador Veshnyakov said that, thus, Russia want to provide social protection to compatriots living abroad and promote voluntary resettlement to Russia.  Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize reports that during the protest action against transition of ethnic minority schools into Latvian language, the Minister of Education Ina Druviete has met with the activists for protection of Russian schools Vladimirs Buzajevs and Aleksandrs Gilmans. The newspaper notes that A.Gilmans is known for his anti-Latvian statements. According to the Minister, both persons did not represent any organisation and the dialogue was civilised. The Minister stressed that she uses every opportunity to explain government’s position.  One of the leaders of the nationalists’ union, MP Raivis Dzintars did not condemn the Minister for such meeting considering that it shows that the Minister has strong personal confidence. At the same time, Mr Dzintars expressed his worries about further steps for implementation of the language reform in schools as the government does not work on elaboration of the corresponding draft amendments to the Education Law.

• Protest action against transition of national minority schools into Latvian language held yesterday

Newspapers report about a protest action against transition of national minority schools into Latvian language held near the Ministry of Education in Riga yesterday. The protestors demanded for long-term guarantees for national minority schools which would be a pre-condition to abstain from further protest actions. The Minister of Education Ina Druviete speaking to the protesters asserted that the planned reform will not prevent the teaching of the native language. The Minister also said that she is ready to meet with representatives of the protestors discussing the planned reform. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Political party “Concord” clarified its position regarding situation in Ukraine and criticized attempts to increase ethnic tension in Latvia
• Ministry of Justice prepares draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for incitement of ethnic hatred

The political party “Concord” (member of the political union the Concord Centre) came with its statement regarding situation in Ukraine saying that it supports territorial integrity of Ukraine and condemns violence used by any of the parties, military intervention, and intervention in internal affairs of a sovereign state. The Concord also stated that it is against incitement of tension in Latvia using rhetoric turned against representatives of ethnic minorities and restriction on civil freedoms, such as attempts to limit work of mass media and freedom of speech. The Concord called Latvian politicians to join efforts for consolidation of the society. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee discussed the draft amendments to the Article 78 of the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for incitement of ethnic hatred. Presently the law stipulates liability for conscious incitement of ethnic or racial hatred. The Minister of Justice Baiba Broka proposed to exclude the word “conscious” from the Article because conscious intent is hard to prove and incitement of hatred in some cases can be made also with indirect intent. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Nationalists’ union proposes to introduce voluntary helpers of state language inspectors
• Government discussed with the security bodies possible risks of confrontations during public events in March
• Latvijas Avize questions whether the presence of relatively large number of Russian citizens in Latvia endangers state’s security

In order to increase control over compliance with the State Language Centre, the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM proposes to increase funding for the State Language Centre and to introduce voluntary helpers of state language inspectors. Such volunteers would have rights to control compliance with language usage regulations in public places and institutions and report about violations immediately to the State Language Centre. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, in the context of disorders in Ukraine, the government at a closed session discussed with the security bodies possible risks of confrontations during public events in March. Officials discussed protests actions planned by pensioners, by the Congress of Non-citizens against the language reform in Russian language schools on 6 March, and events on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires.) Diena

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, about 48,000 Russian citizens have residence permits in Latvia. Latvijas Avize notes that this number could be bigger as some non-citizens who accepted Russian citizenship did not inform Latvian authorities and kept the status of non-citizen. The newspaper questions whether the presence of such relatively large number of Russian citizens in Latvia endangers state’s security as, for instance, Russia uses protection of its citizens in other countries as justification for military intervention (war between Georgia and South Ossetia in 2008 and presently in conflict in Ukraine and Crimea). According to the head of the Saeima’s National Security Committee Valdis Zatlers, the number of Russian citizens is not the most essential factor as four years ago Russia has approved a military doctrine which says that Russia use military intervention in order to protect not only its citizens but also other Russian speaking residents regardless of their nationality. Mr Zatlers believes that presently there are no direct military threats towards Latvia, but, anyway, bigger attention should be paid to internal stability in the country and the most effective way to ensure it is political, economic and social stability.