• Chas: LVL 1,705,799 (EUR 2,427,147) is spent for protection and development of Latvian language every year

According to

According to Chas, LVL 1,705,799 (EUR 2,427,147) is spent for protection and development of Latvian language every year. The main structures working in this field are the State Language Centre, the National Agency for Latvian Language Training, the State Language Agency, the Centre of Translation and Terminology, the Department of State Language Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as the State Language Commission.

• Two out of four Georgian asylum seekers decided to return back to Georgia
• State Language Commission criticizes the draft law on audio and audiovisual mass media for lack of norms regulating usage of state language

Telegraf reports that two out of four Georgian citizens who appealed for asylum in Latvia already repealed their applications and decided to return back to Georgia. According to a representative of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, victims of war conflicts can be granted only alternative status in Latvia which obliges them to return back to motherland after the end of the war conflict.

The State Language Commission has sent a letter to the Saeima criticizing the draft law on audio and audiovisual mass media for lack of norms regulating usage of state language. The Commission believes that the state language is still endangered, therefore, the legal acts should protect language’s usage in various field including mass media.

The State Language Commission has sent a letter to the Saeima criticizing the draft law on audio and audiovisual mass media for lack of norms regulating usage of state language. The Commission believes that the state language is still endangered, therefore, the legal acts should protect languages usage in various field including mass media. Chas

• Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case against the authors of a documentary Victory Day – Our Festivity
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with ex-Minister of Integration Nils Muiznieks

The Security Police (SP) refused to initiate a criminal case against the authors of a documentary “Victory Day – Our Festivity” members of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia. The SP did not find components of crime in the documentary. However, the SP appealed to the Ministry of Education to evaluate whether the documentary’s content corresponds to education standards and programs.

The Security Police (SP) refused to initiate a criminal case against the authors of a documentary Victory Day – Our Festivity members of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia. The SP did not find components of crime in the documentary. However, the SP appealed to the Ministry of Education to evaluate whether the documentarys content corresponds to education standards and programs. Chas, Diena

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with ex-Minister of Integration, political scientist Nils Muiznieks. According to Mr. Muiznieks, there are no clear political aims for integration policy in Latvia and no political interest to solve problems in this field. Mr. Muiznieks believes that Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration got stuck with elaboration of the guidelines for integration policy because the politicians were not able to find a compromise regarding integration issues. Nils Muiznieks also believes that in a couple of years an institution such as the Secretariat will be necessary again due to increased number of new immigrants.

• Head of the Saeimas Human Rights Committee Janis Smits criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis regarding rights of non-citizens

Head of the Saeima’s Human Rights Committee Janis Smits criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis regarding rights of non-citizens. As reported, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified. In an interview with

Head of the Saeimas Human Rights Committee Janis Smits criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis regarding rights of non-citizens. As reported, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified. In an interview with Latvijas Avize, Janis Smits states that it would be better if the Ombudsman dealt with other more important issues than rights of non-citizen. Mr. Smits believes that the Latvian Law on Citizenship is one of the most liberal in Europe and if a non-citizen would like to be granted the same rights as citizens he or she should receive Latvian citizenship.

• Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov: too severe regulations on state language proficiency might hinder development of business links between Latvia and Russia
• Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis on differences between rights of citizens and non-citizens
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about number of Russian citizens residing in Latvia
• Columnist of NRA prints an article about liquidation of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration and integration policy

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov considers that too severe regulations on state language proficiency might hinder development of business links between Latvia and Russia. According to the Ambassador, foreign investors might be scared away from Latvia because of the draft amendments (currently under elaboration) stipulating Latvian language proficiency requirement for a president of private company even if he/she does not reside in Latvia.  

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov considers that too severe regulations on state language proficiency might hinder development of business links between Latvia and Russia. According to the Ambassador, foreign investors might be scared away from Latvia because of the draft amendments (currently under elaboration) stipulating Latvian language proficiency requirement for a president of private company even if he/she does not reside in Latvia. Chas

The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM) criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis on differences between rights of citizens and non-citizens. As reported, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified. Gaidis Berzins does not support repeal of restrictions regarding rights of non-citizens. He also considers that non-citizens do not have closer ties with Latvia than citizens of other EU countries.

The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM) criticizes opinion of the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis on differences between rights of citizens and non-citizens. As reported, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified. Gaidis Berzins does not support repeal of restrictions regarding rights of non-citizens. He also considers that non-citizens do not have closer ties with Latvia than citizens of other EU countries. Chas

According to

According to Latvijas Avize imprecise information about true number of Russian citizens residing in Latvia might be a danger to state security. Data of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) show that there are 29,182 Russian citizens in Latvia, while, data of the Russias Embassy in Latvia show that there are 22, 000 Russian citizens. According to the head of Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane, the true number of Russian citizens in Latvia is not known because of two factors. The first is double citizenship - some individuals would like to conceal the fact that they have not only Latvian but also Russian citizenship. The second is unknown number of Latvian non-citizens who adopted Russian citizenship yet did not renounce the status of non-citizen of Latvia. According to a representative of the OCMA, usually, the fact that someone adopted Russias citizenship without giving up the status of citizen or non-citizen of Latvia, is only revealed by chance.

Columnist of

Columnist of NRA prints an article about liquidation of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration and integration policy in Latvia. Columnist believes that the fact that representatives of ethnic minorities do not voice any large protests against closure of the Secretariat approves that the decision is right and minority policy was wrong.