Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

Although the majority of parliament factions have stated their objections to the presidential initiative to abolish existing language qualifications in the election law, the parliament is nevertheless likely to grant the president's wish, suggested speaker Janis Straume. "It is difficult, of course, to predict the outcome, but I believe that majority in the parliament will obviously come to support these amendments," Straume said in the interview published Thursday in the Latvian official gazette,

Although the majority of parliament factions have stated their objections to the presidential initiative to abolish existing language qualifications in the election law, the parliament is nevertheless likely to grant the president's wish, suggested speaker Janis Straume. "It is difficult, of course, to predict the outcome, but I believe that majority in the parliament will obviously come to support these amendments," Straume said in the interview published Thursday in the Latvian official gazette, Latvijas Vestnesis. He expects "growing intensity in the debate and the international community's interest in the decision by our parliament in coming months" while admitting he himself is opposed to the amendments in question. "My civic and political position is such that I do not approve of these amendments to the election law. Of course, I realize that the need for these legislative amendments has been presented," said the parliament speaker, "... parallel work on separate amendments to laws or the Constitution could strengthen Latvian language positions in our country. Anyway, Latvia currently is in an unenviable situation, therefore it will be very difficult to make a decision," said Straume.

The latest opinion poll showed that 42.8 percent of Latvia's residents believed slight restriction of political freedom was admissible to improve economic situation of the people. According to the poll conducted by SKDS pollster last December, 37.6 percent or respondents rejected the idea and nearly one-fifth or 19.6 percent were undecided. In previous years similar polls produced slightly different results. In 1998, more Latvian residents (53.8 percent) were willing to exchange some political freedom for greater economic benefit, in 1999 this figure was 44.2 percent and in 2000 it was 42.6 percent.

The latest opinion poll showed that 42.8 percent of Latvia's residents believed slight restriction of political freedom was admissible to improve economic situation of the people. According to the poll conducted by SKDS pollster last December, 37.6 percent or respondents rejected the idea and nearly one-fifth or 19.6 percent were undecided. In previous years similar polls produced slightly different results. In 1998, more Latvian residents (53.8 percent) were willing to exchange some political freedom for greater economic benefit, in 1999 this figure was 44.2 percent and in 2000 it was 42.6 percent. BNS

Latvian Ambassador to Russia, Normunds Penke, will Thursday join several other foreign ambassadors for an accreditation ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow. Penke is scheduled to present his credentials to Russian President Valdimir Putin at 1:00 p.m. Russian time, reported the Latvian embassy in Moscow. Putin is expected to address Latvian, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian, Luxembourg, Ghanese and other foreign ambassadors to Russia, said the embassy.

Latvian Ambassador to Russia, Normunds Penke, will Thursday join several other foreign ambassadors for an accreditation ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow. Penke is scheduled to present his credentials to Russian President Valdimir Putin at 1:00 p.m. Russian time, reported the Latvian embassy in Moscow. Putin is expected to address Latvian, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian, Luxembourg, Ghanese and other foreign ambassadors to Russia, said the embassy. BNS, Neatkariga

Latvian and Swedish governments' agreement on the development, co-operation and technical assistance in the justice and interior sector is to be signed today. Swedish Minister of Justice Thomas Bodstrom is scheduled to arrive in Riga today in order to sign the agreement. Minister of Justice Ingrida Labucka and Minister of Internal Affairs Mareks Seglins will sign the agreement on behalf of Latvia. The agreement stipulates that both countries' ministries, which are responsible for justice and interior affairs, will continue boosting existing co-operation, pay attention to all stages in the law enforcement system, take into account the other side's proposals and exchange experience within the existing framework of justice and interior affairs, especially concerning reforms in the Latvian Ministry of Justice.

Latvian and Swedish governments' agreement on the development, co-operation and technical assistance in the justice and interior sector is to be signed today. Swedish Minister of Justice Thomas Bodstrom is scheduled to arrive in Riga today in order to sign the agreement. Minister of Justice Ingrida Labucka and Minister of Internal Affairs Mareks Seglins will sign the agreement on behalf of Latvia. The agreement stipulates that both countries' ministries, which are responsible for justice and interior affairs, will continue boosting existing co-operation, pay attention to all stages in the law enforcement system, take into account the other side's proposals and exchange experience within the existing framework of justice and interior affairs, especially concerning reforms in the Latvian Ministry of Justice. LETA

Latvia now has a leading position among NATO enlargement applicant countries, Saeima representative at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Aleksandrs Kirsteins, told a press conference today. Kirsteins pointed out that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has recognized Latvia's membership action plan (MAP) for NATO as the best. Besides, positive economic growth, the rise in GDP and successful EU negotiations boost Latvia's position even more. The report of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's Central and Eastern Europe sub-commission on Latvia points out that Latvia is actively implementing requirements set by NATO and European Union both in the economic and military sector.

Latvia now has a leading position among NATO enlargement applicant countries, Saeima representative at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Aleksandrs Kirsteins, told a press conference today. Kirsteins pointed out that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has recognized Latvia's membership action plan (MAP) for NATO as the best. Besides, positive economic growth, the rise in GDP and successful EU negotiations boost Latvia's position even more. The report of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's Central and Eastern Europe sub-commission on Latvia points out that Latvia is actively implementing requirements set by NATO and European Union both in the economic and military sector. LETA

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which evaluates the accession of new countries to the alliance, has not yet asked Latvia to amend its Saeima and municipal election laws by lifting the requirement on state language tests for candidates to Saeima and municipal seats, Saeima's representative at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Aleksandrs Kirsteins, told a press conference yesterday. Kirsteins stressed that the NATO Assembly has submitted to Latvia many requirements that need to be implemented to obtain NATO membership, however, it has never requested that Latvia's election laws be amended. Kirsteins admitted however that it is possible that the report could be supplemented by other remarks ahead of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's meeting in Sofia. Nevertheless, there have been no demands from NATO that the law on elections be changed. The Saeima Defense Commission and Foreign Affairs Commission plans to invite Foreign Affairs Minister Indulis Berzins and Ambassador to the United States Aivis Ronis to a joint meeting on this matter. Both said that they had received official requests that election laws be amended, and they will be requested to tell deputies about the specific requests, who made them and when. The parliament cannot change its decisions, based on the personal letters of officials that mention that election laws must be amended, Kirsteins said in commenting on U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's recent letter to the foreign minister. Kirsteins said that Latvia might have been requested to amend its election laws in some other regard, not in connection with NATO enlargement.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which evaluates the accession of new countries to the alliance, has not yet asked Latvia to amend its Saeima and municipal election laws by lifting the requirement on state language tests for candidates to Saeima and municipal seats, Saeima's representative at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Aleksandrs Kirsteins, told a press conference yesterday. Kirsteins stressed that the NATO Assembly has submitted to Latvia many requirements that need to be implemented to obtain NATO membership, however, it has never requested that Latvia's election laws be amended. Kirsteins admitted however that it is possible that the report could be supplemented by other remarks ahead of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's meeting in Sofia. Nevertheless, there have been no demands from NATO that the law on elections be changed. The Saeima Defense Commission and Foreign Affairs Commission plans to invite Foreign Affairs Minister Indulis Berzins and Ambassador to the United States Aivis Ronis to a joint meeting on this matter. Both said that they had received official requests that election laws be amended, and they will be requested to tell deputies about the specific requests, who made them and when. The parliament cannot change its decisions, based on the personal letters of officials that mention that election laws must be amended, Kirsteins said in commenting on U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's recent letter to the foreign minister. Kirsteins said that Latvia might have been requested to amend its election laws in some other regard, not in connection with NATO enlargement. LETA, Vesti Segodnya

Newspaper

Newspaper Vesti Segodnya writes that Latvian President has arrived to the USA with an intention to convince Americans that Latvia is the best candidate for NATO and it will soon make the last home task – abolish the language proficiency norm. At the same time Latvian parliamentarians found a way to teach the strayed sheep its proper place. They will show Vaira Vike-Freiberga who is the master here, at the same time also Americans will get their share. According the words of the head of commission on defense and internal affairs A.Kirsteins, they plan to summon a joint sitting of the Saeima commission on defense, internal affairs and foreign affairs. And Latvian Ambassador to Washington A.Ronis will have to come here and explain why and under what conditions the Americans had new demands for Latvia and why he dared to criticize parliamentarians.

Latvia has succeeded in proving the validity of its stance in the first stage of proceedings ahead of the European Court of Human Rights's (ECHR) final verdict in the case of Nikolai Slivenko. As a result, a major part of the Slivenko family's petition was not accepted by ECHR, Latvia's representative at international human rights institutions Kristine Malinovska says in the newspaper

Latvia has succeeded in proving the validity of its stance in the first stage of proceedings ahead of the European Court of Human Rights's (ECHR) final verdict in the case of Nikolai Slivenko. As a result, a major part of the Slivenko family's petition was not accepted by ECHR, Latvia's representative at international human rights institutions Kristine Malinovska says in the newspaper Diena today. Malinovska explains the essence of the ECHR verdict and other aspects pointing to a variegated interpretation of Latvia's stance and other issues pertaining to the case..

Answering a question how serious in the signal Latvian authorities received from US Deputy State secretary R.Armitage, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins agreed to the Prime Minister that it was a serious signal because to NATO they accept not armies but states. And the fact that the President came forth with her initiative was not accidental. the Minister thinks that Americans are very precise formulating their position, and it is not a pressure because they do not demand Latvia to do or not to do something and do not threat with sanctions. They just say: if you want to be like us, you have to do the same as the rest of candidate states; none of these candidate states has such a demand. And the Minister reminded people, who supported preservation of the language proficiency norm for deputy candidates, that this norm just did not work. I.Berzins suggested to follow the President’s advice and introduce some other norms in other laws that would ensure functioning of the Latvian language both in the Saeima and local governments.

Answering a question how serious in the signal Latvian authorities received from US Deputy State secretary R.Armitage, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins agreed to the Prime Minister that it was a serious signal because to NATO they accept not armies but states. And the fact that the President came forth with her initiative was not accidental. the Minister thinks that Americans are very precise formulating their position, and it is not a pressure because they do not demand Latvia to do or not to do something and do not threat with sanctions. They just say: if you want to be like us, you have to do the same as the rest of candidate states; none of these candidate states has such a demand. And the Minister reminded people, who supported preservation of the language proficiency norm for deputy candidates, that this norm just did not work. I.Berzins suggested to follow the Presidents advice and introduce some other norms in other laws that would ensure functioning of the Latvian language both in the Saeima and local governments. Latvijas Vestnesis

Lauku Avize continues to ask Latvian MPs for their opinion on the proposal of Lithuanian deputies to grant non-citizens there the local government election rights. MPs from the ruling coalition A.Rugate (People’s Party), Dz.Rasnacs (FF/LNNK) and E.Inkens (Latvia’s Way) as well as Social Democrat R.Labanovskis think that this idea is not for Latvia but Y.Pliner from For Human Rights in United Latvia was positive about it saying that in many democratic countries non-citizen are allowed to vote in local government elections. It is permissible because in an ideal version local governments do not deal with politics. He reminded that Estonians had already taken such a step and nothing bad had been heard about it.

Lauku Avize continues to ask Latvian MPs for their opinion on the proposal of Lithuanian deputies to grant non-citizens there the local government election rights. MPs from the ruling coalition A.Rugate (Peoples Party), Dz.Rasnacs (FF/LNNK) and E.Inkens (Latvias Way) as well as Social Democrat R.Labanovskis think that this idea is not for Latvia but Y.Pliner from For Human Rights in United Latvia was positive about it saying that in many democratic countries non-citizen are allowed to vote in local government elections. It is permissible because in an ideal version local governments do not deal with politics. He reminded that Estonians had already taken such a step and nothing bad had been heard about it.

V.Cepurovs writes that some Russian NGOs in Latvia want to establish a special Register of Russian local government tax payers in Latvia” and the same people envisage to establish “National Representation of Russian Compatriots in authorities of the Republic of Latvia”. The initiators claim that “it will give a possibility every Latvian resident, who considers him/herself to be a Russian compatriot to participate in elections of Russian local governments”. And the idea of the Register is to find out how many Russians reside in Latvia, how many kindergartens, schools they need. And the results should be reflected in a special column of the national budget and then “to act accordingly”. Mr.Cepurovs finds these activities as an attempt to establish parallel structures of authority.

V.Cepurovs writes that some Russian NGOs in Latvia want to establish a special Register of Russian local government tax payers in Latvia and the same people envisage to establish National Representation of Russian Compatriots in authorities of the Republic of Latvia. The initiators claim that it will give a possibility every Latvian resident, who considers him/herself to be a Russian compatriot to participate in elections of Russian local governments. And the idea of the Register is to find out how many Russians reside in Latvia, how many kindergartens, schools they need. And the results should be reflected in a special column of the national budget and then to act accordingly. Mr.Cepurovs finds these activities as an attempt to establish parallel structures of authority. Lauku Avize

Lauku Avize

published an interview with German Ambassador to Latvia E.Herold. The Ambassador spoke about tendencies in globalization processes, national radicalism and explained current society integration problems in Germany. Answering to the question what is his opinion concerning the discussion about the need to know the state language, Mr.Herold said that this issue should be solved within the framework of a free and sovereign decision in accordance with the existing in the state Constitutional norms. Respecting the procedure of a making a sovereign decision, the Ambassador considered that the President had said the right thing. Also lawyers agree to that. published an interview with German Ambassador to Latvia E.Herold. The Ambassador spoke about tendencies in globalization processes, national radicalism and explained current society integration problems in Germany. Answering to the question what is his opinion concerning the discussion about the need to know the state language, Mr.Herold said that this issue should be solved within the framework of a free and sovereign decision in accordance with the existing in the state Constitutional norms. Respecting the procedure of a making a sovereign decision, the Ambassador considered that the President had said the right thing. Also lawyers agree to that. Social scientist Prof. J.Penikis states that President’s proposal to amend the election law is a sample how a policy should not be may in politically sensitive for the society issues. In Latvia for many years had been operating an OSCE Mission that monitored, advised, reported to other governments and organizations, etc. on democratization, public integration, citizenship and many other issues. And in autumn of 2001 both in Estonia and Latvia missions were planned to close with a final report that both these countries had become perfect democracies. In Estonia the closure was linked with abolishing the language proficiency norm for deputy candidates. In the mandate of the Latvian mission this issue was not included. Estonian Parliament abolished this norm, and at the same time the OSCE Mission in Latvia discovered the same thing in Latvia, and the head of the Misison P.Semneby appealed to the Latvian government and society to abolish this norm for the sake of principles of democracy. Then came the President with her announcement but the majority in the Saeima did not want to know about it. Only after a big trouble started in the Saeima and mass media, President’s councilors realized that a commission should be established and experts asked for advice. Meanwhile the Cabinet of Ministers and leaders of major parties still pretend that everything is OK, “because we have fulfilled everything what OSCE asked for!”

Social scientist Prof. J.Penikis states that Presidents proposal to amend the election law is a sample how a policy should not be may in politically sensitive for the society issues. In Latvia for many years had been operating an OSCE Mission that monitored, advised, reported to other governments and organizations, etc. on democratization, public integration, citizenship and many other issues. And in autumn of 2001 both in Estonia and Latvia missions were planned to close with a final report that both these countries had become perfect democracies. In Estonia the closure was linked with abolishing the language proficiency norm for deputy candidates. In the mandate of the Latvian mission this issue was not included. Estonian Parliament abolished this norm, and at the same time the OSCE Mission in Latvia discovered the same thing in Latvia, and the head of the Misison P.Semneby appealed to the Latvian government and society to abolish this norm for the sake of principles of democracy. Then came the President with her announcement but the majority in the Saeima did not want to know about it. Only after a big trouble started in the Saeima and mass media, Presidents councilors realized that a commission should be established and experts asked for advice. Meanwhile the Cabinet of Ministers and leaders of major parties still pretend that everything is OK, because we have fulfilled everything what OSCE asked for! Lauku Avize

A.Mamikin in the newspaper

A.Mamikin in the newspaper Chas states that as much the Cabinet of Ministers tried to adopt the new regulations on domicile registration, in reality it just copied the soviet system of propiska. Many governments tried to exchange it, even the last government of A.Berzins, but the law on declaring ones place of residence stack in the Saeima. And for the Minister of Interior remained anything else as to write new – temporary regulations, establishing the old system. The new law is planned to take effect on 1 January 2003.

Vesti Segodnya

interviewed the new head of the state language commission M.Zalite. The poetess finds the Latvian language in great danger because it still lacks practical usage. There are many laws ensuring its usage but in practice we see that in many places, e.g. shops, workshops, etc. you have to speak Russian to be served. interviewed the new head of the state language commission M.Zalite. The poetess finds the Latvian language in great danger because it still lacks practical usage. There are many laws ensuring its usage but in practice we see that in many places, e.g. shops, workshops, etc. you have to speak Russian to be served.