• Egils Levits presented to the Saeima’s Legal Committee the draft Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia

On 27 September, the head of the President’s Commission on Constitutional Law Egils Levits presented to the Saeima’s Legal Committee the draft Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia. According to the newspapers, the draft Preamble has three aims - to ensure existence of ethnic Latvian nation through the ages, preservation of Latvian language and culture; and welfare of all nation and individuals. Democracy, justice, and social responsibility are mentioned as the milestones of functioning of national state. It is explained, that the Preamble is necessary in order to prevent all disputes in the society about the conditions of the establishment of the state and its general principals. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga

• Cabinet of Ministers prepared the package of regulations accompanying the new Citizenship Law
• Parliament of Unrepresented wants to meet with the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Cabinet of Ministers prepared the package of regulations for the new Citizenship Law which will become effective on 1 October. According to the newspaper, henceforth, the list of the institutions which approve applicant’s right for naturalisation, in addition to the special merits, there are the State Revenue Service and various ministries. An applicant for citizenship has to have the legal source of income and no debts before the state. The applicants will have to pass the tests on state language proficiency, fundamentals of the Constitution, Latvian history and culture, and state anthem. Simplified naturalisation procedure is developed for specific groups of disabled persons and persons in the age over 65.

Latvijas Avize reports that the Parliament of Unrepresented wants to meet with the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis in order to discuss with him possible solution of problem of non-citizenship and co-operation in establishment of united society. The Parliament of Unrepresented also regularly informs the Prime Minister about its activities.

• U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Douglas Davidson again visited Latvia
• Aleksandrs Gaponenko presented collection of articles “Ethnic Conflicts in Baltic States. Post Soviet period”

Newspapers report about a visit of the U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Douglas Davidson to Latvia. Mr Davidson met with several Saeima’s factions discussing the issue of restitution of Jewish properties lost during the Holocaust. Mr Davidson also visited Bauska (town in the central part of Latvia) in order to discuss with representative of the town council establishment of a monument to the victims of Holocaust. The Council of Jewish Communities in Latvia who elaborated the project of the monument unsuccessfully tried to receive the approval of the town council for it for several years. However, also in a conversation with Mr Davidson the Mayor of Bauska explained that the project of the monument does not fit the historical part of the town where it supposed to be placed. At the same time, the Bauska town council approved establishment of a monument to three police battalions of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires in Bauska which title says “To the liberators of Bauska against second Soviet occupation. Latvia should be ethnic Latvian state.” This was already a third visit of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Douglas Davidson to Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about a collection of articles “Ethnic Conflicts in Baltic States. Post Soviet period” presented by the director of the European Studies Institute, one of the leaders of the Parliament of Unrepresented Aleksandrs Gaponenko. The collection contains articles about discrimination of ethnic minorities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

• Record number of application for residence permits from foreign investors received in past two months

In July and August, the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office (OCMA) registered the highest number of applications for residence permits from foreign investors. 178 applications were received in July and 159 in August. In average, the OCMA received 131 per month applications for residence permit from investors during this year. Latvijas Avize

• MP Raivis Dzintars asked one of the Unity leaders Solvita Aboltina to explain the position of the Unity regarding the transition of ethnic minority schools into Latvian language

The MP Raivis Dzintars (nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM) appealed with an open letter to the Saeima’s Speaker, one of the Unity leaders Solvita Aboltina asking to explain the position of the Unity regarding the transition of ethnic minority schools into Latvian language. Such appeal was made following the statement of the MEP, member of the political party Unity Karlis Sadurskis that all state funded education should be in Latvian language only. Raivis Dzintras stressed that his party recently proposed to transfer all schools into Latvian but it was refused by other members of the governing coalition. Solvita Aboltina did not reply on the Mr Dzintars’ appeal yet but trough her press secretary explained that Mr Sadurskis voiced his own opinion and the party does not share it. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize