• Foreigners enter fictive marriages with Latvian citizens and non-citizens in order to receive permanent residence permits
• 28 foreign investors have applied for residence permits in Latvia since the amendments to the Immigration Law
• State Police deny that a mass fight among ethnic Russian and ethnic Latvian youths on the election night in Riga was ethnically motivated

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, foreigners enter fictive marriages with Latvian citizens and non-citizens in order to receive permanent residence permits in Latvia. Residence permits got annulled in six cases of fictive marriages in 2009.

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, foreigners enter fictive marriages with Latvian citizens and non-citizens in order to receive permanent residence permits in Latvia. Residence permits got annulled in six cases of fictive marriages in 2009. Diena

28 foreign investors have applied for residence permits in Latvia since the amendments to the Immigration Law which eased residence permit procedures became effective on 1 July. Half of the investors bought real estate in the country, others made large investments in Latvian credit institutions or in basic capital of domestic enterprises.

28 foreign investors have applied for residence permits in Latvia since the amendments to the Immigration Law which eased residence permit procedures became effective on 1 July. Half of the investors bought real estate in the country, others made large investments in Latvian credit institutions or in basic capital of domestic enterprises. Diena

The State Police deny that a mass fight among ethnic Russian and ethnic Latvian youths on the election night in Riga was ethnically motivated. According to the Police, persons who took part in the fight and witnesses deny that the conflict arouse due to interethnic disagreement. As reported, the municipal police maintained that it was ethnically motivated fight.

The State Police deny that a mass fight among ethnic Russian and ethnic Latvian youths on the election night in Riga was ethnically motivated. According to the Police, persons who took part in the fight and witnesses deny that the conflict arouse due to interethnic disagreement. As reported, the municipal police maintained that it was ethnically motivated fight. Latvijas Avize

• 48 policemen were dismissed or transferred to another positions due to insufficient state language proficiency
• Head of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of the Riga City Council Eizenija Aldermane is planning to elaborate integration strategy for Riga

48 policemen were dismissed or transferred to another positions due to insufficient state language proficiency. As reported, following complaints that many policemen do not speak Latvian language the State Language Centre held mass inspections among the policemen in the beginning of the year. Those policemen whose state language proficiency was insufficient for fulfilment of professional duties as required by the legal acts were given time until 1 October to improve it.  53 police workers improved their language proficiency and 86 continue to improve it.  

48 policemen were dismissed or transferred to another positions due to insufficient state language proficiency. As reported, following complaints that many policemen do not speak Latvian language the State Language Centre held mass inspections among the policemen in the beginning of the year. Those policemen whose state language proficiency was insufficient for fulfilment of professional duties as required by the legal acts were given time until 1 October to improve it. 53 police workers improved their language proficiency and 86 continue to improve it. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Head of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of the Riga City Council Eizenija Aldermane is planning to elaborate integration strategy for Riga. Mrs. Aldermane considers that such strategy should not focus only on ethnic minorities but also on integration of various social groups of residents. According to Mrs. Aldermane, first of all, the City Council should establish cooperation with NGOs working with different society groups.

Head of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of the Riga City Council Eizenija Aldermane is planning to elaborate integration strategy for Riga. Mrs. Aldermane considers that such strategy should not focus only on ethnic minorities but also on integration of various social groups of residents. According to Mrs. Aldermane, first of all, the City Council should establish cooperation with NGOs working with different society groups. Latvijas Avize

• Formation of new coalition government discussed

Newspapers report about the process of forming new government coalition. The most likely core of the coalition could be formed by the Unity (33 seats) and Greens and Farmers’ Union (GF, 22 seats), while participation of the Concord Centre (CC, 29 seats) or the Union “All for Latvia! / For Fatherland and Freedom / Latvian National Independence Movement” (AL/FF/LNIM, 8 seats) is still discussed. There are 100 seats in Latvian Parliament. Participation of the Concord Centre is opposed by some nationalist-leaning members of the Unity and GF. Participation of AL/FF/LNIM could complicate Latvia’s relations with the West, and Gundars Daudze (GF) has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that on election night the leaders of AL/FF/LNIM sang the songs of Latvian Waffen SS Legion.

Newspapers report about the process of forming new government coalition. The most likely core of the coalition could be formed by the Unity (33 seats) and Greens and Farmers Union (GF, 22 seats), while participation of the Concord Centre (CC, 29 seats) or the Union All for Latvia! / For Fatherland and Freedom / Latvian National Independence Movement (AL/FF/LNIM, 8 seats) is still discussed. There are 100 seats in Latvian Parliament. Participation of the Concord Centre is opposed by some nationalist-leaning members of the Unity and GF. Participation of AL/FF/LNIM could complicate Latvias relations with the West, and Gundars Daudze (GF) has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that on election night the leaders of AL/FF/LNIM sang the songs of Latvian Waffen SS Legion.

Diena (9 October 2010), Chas, Vesti-Segodnya

• Opinion poll shows short social distance between ethnic Latvians and ethnic Russians in Riga

According to results of public opinion poll conducted by research agency TNS Latvia, ethnic Latvian and ethnic Russian respondents in Riga show very short social distance towards each other. Other social groups viewed positively by the respondents include disabled persons, low-income persons and Jews. Respondents had negative views about drug addicts, members of religious sects, alcoholics and homosexuals. Authors of the poll highlighted that both ethnic Latvians and minorities would like to see municipalities providing more support to NGOs and to have more information about services provided by the state and municipalities, expenditure of tax-payers’ money, possibilities to take part in decision-making.

According to results of public opinion poll conducted by research agency TNS Latvia, ethnic Latvian and ethnic Russian respondents in Riga show very short social distance towards each other. Other social groups viewed positively by the respondents include disabled persons, low-income persons and Jews. Respondents had negative views about drug addicts, members of religious sects, alcoholics and homosexuals. Authors of the poll highlighted that both ethnic Latvians and minorities would like to see municipalities providing more support to NGOs and to have more information about services provided by the state and municipalities, expenditure of tax-payers money, possibilities to take part in decision-making.

Latvijas Avize, Vesti-Segodnya

• National Council on Electronic Mass Media fined parent company of channel TV5 with LVL 1,500 (EUR 2,100) for violation of the State Language Law

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media fined parent company of channel TV5 with LVL  1,500 (EUR 2,100) for the fact that in its Russian language programme “Un-censored” the Minister of Transportation Kaspars Gerhards was not allowed to speak in Latvian language. The Council considers that TV channel violated the State Language Law which stipulates rights to use Latvian language freely in all spheres of life. The Council also considers that TV company showed its disrespect towards the Article 4 of the Constitution of Latvia according to which the state language in Latvia is Latvian.

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media fined parent company of channel TV5 with LVL 1,500 (EUR 2,100) for the fact that in its Russian language programme Un-censored the Minister of Transportation Kaspars Gerhards was not allowed to speak in Latvian language. The Council considers that TV channel violated the State Language Law which stipulates rights to use Latvian language freely in all spheres of life. The Council also considers that TV company showed its disrespect towards the Article 4 of the Constitution of Latvia according to which the state language in Latvia is Latvian. Chas, Latvijas Avize, Diena