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.

Press Review

Press Review

Latvian Minister of Justice I.Labucka met yesterday with Russian Ambassador to Latvia A.Udaltsov. They discussed several topics, but the Ambassador was specially interested in the fate of those Russian teachers who were dismisses due to lack of adequate Latvian language knowledge. The Ambassador wanted to find out whether their dismissal was not illegal. The Minister of Justice explained that, if teachers considered their dismissal to be illegal, they might appeal to a court with a request to be returned to their posts. According to the Ministry of Education and Science data, there are 89 teachers who could be dismissed due to this reason.

Latvian Minister of Justice I.Labucka met yesterday with Russian Ambassador to Latvia A.Udaltsov. They discussed several topics, but the Ambassador was specially interested in the fate of those Russian teachers who were dismisses due to lack of adequate Latvian language knowledge. The Ambassador wanted to find out whether their dismissal was not illegal. The Minister of Justice explained that, if teachers considered their dismissal to be illegal, they might appeal to a court with a request to be returned to their posts. According to the Ministry of Education and Science data, there are 89 teachers who could be dismissed due to this reason. Neatkariga

Diena writes about 88 such teachers, according to the information provided by the Director of Ministry of Education and Science General Education Department G.Valujevs. As he explained these teachers should be dismissed only at those places where there were enough teachers to replace the dismissed ones. And these 88 teachers (as other unemployed persons) might attend free of charge Latvian language training courses and pass this language knowledge test.

Chas speaks about 147 Russian teachers who have not passed the test, and states that 89 have already been dismissed, 9 are sick and their future is obscure, and 53 have their employment contracts only till 31 May 1999.

Panorama Latvii

informs that a special working group of the Ministry of Education and Science supported the proposal of local governments not to dismiss for some time 53 teachers who had not passed the language test because they were irreplaceable or it was their last working year before reaching the age of retirement. The rest 52 teachers do not plan to pass this test, and 12 more will be replaced by teachers who had registered themselves as unemployed persons. informs that a special working group of the Ministry of Education and Science supported the proposal of local governments not to dismiss for some time 53 teachers who had not passed the language test because they were irreplaceable or it was their last working year before reaching the age of retirement. The rest 52 teachers do not plan to pass this test, and 12 more will be replaced by teachers who had registered themselves as unemployed persons. Russian newspaper

Russian newspaper Obschaya Gazeta published an interview with Latvian Prime Minister V.Kristopans where he stated that Latvia should maintain as active dialogue with Russia as it had with England, Germany and the USA. V.Kristopans told that Russian Ambassador A.Udaltsov had recently persuaded him that Russia was ready for this. According to the Prime Ministers opinion , the sign of a new era in Latvian - Russian relation might be the renewal of activities of the bilateral intergovernmental commission. Diena

The Speaker of Russian Parliament S.Baburin speaks about many facts showing that the basis of contemporary foreign policy of the Baltic states is explicit anti-Russian position, and he considers that Russian policy towards the Baltic states should be built from this. It does not mean endless confrontations. The refusal of these states to recognise any Russian initiatives is a means of demonstrating their loyalty to the West. Therefore the first thing for Russia to do is to come to an agreement with their new masters at first. If the West says “yes”, Russian initiatives will be received, but neither the USA nor Germany are interested in Russia and Byelorussia establishing closer ties with these three countries.

The Speaker of Russian Parliament S.Baburin speaks about many facts showing that the basis of contemporary foreign policy of the Baltic states is explicit anti-Russian position, and he considers that Russian policy towards the Baltic states should be built from this. It does not mean endless confrontations. The refusal of these states to recognise any Russian initiatives is a means of demonstrating their loyalty to the West. Therefore the first thing for Russia to do is to come to an agreement with their new masters at first. If the West says yes, Russian initiatives will be received, but neither the USA nor Germany are interested in Russia and Byelorussia establishing closer ties with these three countries. SM

Panorama Latvii

analyses the law on education and finds contradictions in the very basic principles of the law. E.g. Article 1 states that the only language of tuition in state and municipal schools must be in the state language. (Period) Article 2 names some exemptions. But there are no exemptions in Article 1. And, as the practice of decades shows, it is done not by a mistake but on purpose because any ambiguity leaves a greater space of manoeuvring for implementing institutions. Other such thing is exchanging the term national minority school for national minority program. And the author of the article cites the answer of the High Commissioner Max van der Stoel, given to the question whether the new education law violated human rights (statement made by the Saeima faction analyses the law on education and finds contradictions in the very basic principles of the law. E.g. Article 1 states that the only language of tuition in state and municipal schools must be in the state language. (Period) Article 2 names some exemptions. But there are no exemptions in Article 1. And, as the practice of decades shows, it is done not by a mistake but on purpose because any ambiguity leaves a greater space of manoeuvring for implementing institutions. Other such thing is exchanging the term “national minority school” for “national minority program”. And the author of the article cites the answer of the High Commissioner Max van der Stoel, given to the question whether the new education law violated human rights (statement made by the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United LatviaFor Human Rights in United Latvia), that one of the most typical features of this law was that it gave a lot of authority to the executive institution for decision making. Theoretically it could lead to a situation that authorities established norms contradictory to international conventions, but after a meeting with the Minister of Education and Science the High Commissioner had come to an opinion that regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Science would correspond to international norms and interests of national minorities. This answer was very diplomatic, but it could be noticed easily that that Max van der Stoel does not reject the FHRIUL statement. The main task of a law is to provide guarantees which do not depend on political situation and ruling parties. And the High Commissioner thinks that this law does not provide such guarantees. ), that one of the most typical features of this law was that it gave a lot of authority to the executive institution for decision making. Theoretically it could lead to a situation that authorities established norms contradictory to international conventions, but after a meeting with the Minister of Education and Science the High Commissioner had come to an opinion that regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Science would correspond to international norms and interests of national minorities. This answer was very diplomatic, but it could be noticed easily that that Max van der Stoel does not reject the FHRIUL statement. The main task of a law is to provide guarantees which do not depend on political situation and ruling parties. And the High Commissioner thinks that this law does not provide such guarantees.