• Newspapers report about the formation of ruling coalition; six MP have split from the Zatlers Reforms Party

Newspapers continue to report about the formation process of the new ruling coalition. The leaders of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party, the Unity and All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement agreed on division of the main posts in the new government. In the meantime, six MPs elected to the Parliament on the electoral ticket of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party have split from this party and are going to act as independent MPs. As a result, the number of seats of prospective coalition is reduced to 50 out of 100 seats in the Parliament.

Newspapers continue to report about the formation process of the new ruling coalition. The leaders of the Zatlers Reforms Party, the Unity and All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement agreed on division of the main posts in the new government. In the meantime, six MPs elected to the Parliament on the electoral ticket of the Zatlers Reforms Party have split from this party and are going to act as independent MPs. As a result, the number of seats of prospective coalition is reduced to 50 out of 100 seats in the Parliament. Chas, Diena, NRA, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

• Russian-language newspapers write about the 20th anniversary since the division of Latvian residents into citizens and non-citizens

Russian-language newspapers write about the 20th anniversary since the Supreme Council of Latvia adopted legislation which divided Latvian residents into citizens and non-citizens and thus withheld voting rights from one third of its voters. A protest action organised by the Latvian Human Rights Committee next to the Parliament building on Friday called for granting citizenship rights to all non-citizens of Latvia.

Russian-language newspapers write about the 20th anniversary since the Supreme Council of Latvia adopted legislation which divided Latvian residents into citizens and non-citizens and thus withheld voting rights from one third of its voters. A protest action organised by the Latvian Human Rights Committee next to the Parliament building on Friday called for granting citizenship rights to all non-citizens of Latvia. Chas (14.10.2011), Vesti Segdonya

• National collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official will begin on 1 November
• Prosecutors Office brought charges to three skinheads accused in desecration of Jewish cemetery
• Telegraf reports about a conference about elaboration of the new migration policy
• Concord Centre is planning to hold a picket on the first day of work of the new Saeima

The Central Elections Commission will begin national collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official in Latvia on 1 November. At least 154,379 signatures for support of the initiative should be collected within the one month in order to launch the national referendum.

The Central Elections Commission will begin national collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official in Latvia on 1 November. At least 154,379 signatures for support of the initiative should be collected within the one month in order to launch the national referendum. Chas

The Prosecutor’s Office brought charges to three skinheads accused in desecration of Jewish cemetery in Riga. One of the skinheads is charged with incitement to ethnic hatred and desecration of graves, the other young man is charged with purchase and realization of property obtained by crime, and the third man is charged with not reporting about the crime. The Jewish cemetery got desecrated in December of 2010.

The Prosecutors Office brought charges to three skinheads accused in desecration of Jewish cemetery in Riga. One of the skinheads is charged with incitement to ethnic hatred and desecration of graves, the other young man is charged with purchase and realization of property obtained by crime, and the third man is charged with not reporting about the crime. The Jewish cemetery got desecrated in December of 2010. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

Telegraf reports about a conference about elaboration of the new Latvian migration policy conducted in Riga. Participants of the conference discussed a draft conception of migration policy prepared by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. Experts who took part in the conference concluded that in five years even in the conditions of economical crisis there will be a shortage of labour force in the export sector, therefore, it is necessity to allow the entrance of guest workers to Latvia. Otherwise, the country will loose its industry.

The Concord Centre (CC), its activists and supporters are planning to hold a picket near the Parliament’s building on the first day of work of the new Saeima on 17 October. According to the leader of the party Nils Usakovs, the picket will be held in support of the unity among Latvian residents and against the government formed by three parties including the radical nationalists’ union. Mr Usakovs states that parties’ supporters from Latgale (region in the Eastern part of Latvia) are planning to be especially active as more than 50% of its residents voted for the CC.

The Concord Centre (CC), its activists and supporters are planning to hold a picket near the Parliaments building on the first day of work of the new Saeima on 17 October. According to the leader of the party Nils Usakovs, the picket will be held in support of the unity among Latvian residents and against the government formed by three parties including the radical nationalists union. Mr Usakovs states that parties supporters from Latgale (region in the Eastern part of Latvia) are planning to be especially active as more than 50% of its residents voted for the CC. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Leader of the Concord Centre Nils Usakovs does not support increase of ethnic tensions in Latvia
• Ex-MP Juris Sokolovskis: the level of ethnic tensions will not increase substantially
• Head of the Naturalisation Board Igors Gorbunovs: the main barrier for naturalisation is Latvian language proficiency

In an interview with

In an interview with Diena, leader of the Concord Centre (CC), the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs states that the CC is against any manifestations which increase ethnic tensions in the country. Mr Usakovs only partly agrees with the assumption that the CC was not included in the governing coalition because of ethnic reasons. According to Mr Usakovs, it is true that the majority of Russian speaking citizens voted for the CC, but the third part of its voters are also ethnic Latvians and their interests got ignored too. Mr Usakovs does not support a campaign initiated by the Russian language mass media yesterday under slogan No to ethnic discrimination.

Ex-MP Juris Sokolovskis believes that the level of ethnic tensions after non inclusion of the CC in the coalition will not increase substantially. Mr Sokolovskis considers that Russian speakers are split, and, while a part of them will manifest their displeasure with the situation in some way, the other part will become more apathetic. Mr Sokolovskis also believes the present situation also will promote the collection of the required amount of signatures in support of Russian as state official language in order to initiate the national referendum.

Ex-MP Juris Sokolovskis believes that the level of ethnic tensions after non inclusion of the CC in the coalition will not increase substantially. Mr Sokolovskis considers that Russian speakers are split, and, while a part of them will manifest their displeasure with the situation in some way, the other part will become more apathetic. Mr Sokolovskis also believes the present situation also will promote the collection of the required amount of signatures in support of Russian as state official language in order to initiate the national referendum. Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the head of the Naturalisation Board Igors Gorbunovs. According to Mr Gorbunovs the main barrier for naturalisation of non-citizens is Latvian language proficiency. Only 58% of the applicants pass the Latvian language test with the first attempt. The majority of non-citizens are elder people – 24% of non-citizens are 51-60 years old, 22% are 61-70, and 25% are over 70.

• Russian language mass media united in an action No to ethnic discrimination! as a protest against non inclusion of the Concord Centre into the governing coalition
• NGO Native Tongue promises mass manifestations against ignoring and discrimination of Russian speaking citizens
• Cabinet of Ministers approved the National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy Guidelines for 2012-2018

Today, the three major Russian language daily newspapers

Today, the three major Russian language daily newspapers Telegraf, Chas and Vesti Segodnya came with a big title on the front page No to ethnic discrimination! In such a way the Russian language media (including the First Baltic Channel, Radio Baltcom, Radio MixFM and internet portal mixnews.lv) express their protest against non inclusion of the Concord Centre (CC) into the governing coalition. The mass media believe that the fact that the radical nationalists union got invited in the coalition instead of the CC is discrimination of Russian speaking residents who in majority supported the CC. The mass media appeals to the President of Latvia Andris Berzins asking either to stop the ethnic discrimination and show that all citizens have equal rights, or to be honest and say that Russian speakers do not have place in the government and politics.

An NGO “Native Tongue” appeals to all persons who voted for the Concord Centre to sign for the initiative to grant Russian the status of official language in Latvia as a protest against non inclusion of the CC into the government. “Native Tongue” also states about the beginning of a mass manifestation calling to stop discrimination of Russian speaking residents in Latvia.

An NGO Native Tongue appeals to all persons who voted for the Concord Centre to sign for the initiative to grant Russian the status of official language in Latvia as a protest against non inclusion of the CC into the government. Native Tongue also states about the beginning of a mass manifestation calling to stop discrimination of Russian speaking residents in Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte believes that respect towards diversity presumes that there should be a foundation which unites the society. According to the approved Guidelines such foundation is Latvian language, ethnic Latvian culture and common social memory.  The Guidelines defines that ethnic Latvians are the “state nation” (Staatsvolk – notion introduced in Germany in XIX century) in Latvia and that together with ethnic minorities they compose Latvian nation. Non-citizens are defined as long-term immigrants. The action plan  of the Guidelines stipulates development of the civil society and integration; strengthening national identity and positions of Latvian language; and consolidation of the social memory. Representatives of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights who took part in the yesterday’s meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers criticized the Guidelines arguing that those are too ethnocentric, ignore issue of non-citizens’ children and during its elaboration opinion of ethnic minorities organisations was not taken into account. 

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte believes that respect towards diversity presumes that there should be a foundation which unites the society. According to the approved Guidelines such foundation is Latvian language, ethnic Latvian culture and common social memory. The Guidelines defines that ethnic Latvians are the state nation (Staatsvolk – notion introduced in Germany in XIX century) in Latvia and that together with ethnic minorities they compose Latvian nation. Non-citizens are defined as long-term immigrants. The action plan of the Guidelines stipulates development of the civil society and integration; strengthening national identity and positions of Latvian language; and consolidation of the social memory. Representatives of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights who took part in the yesterdays meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers criticized the Guidelines arguing that those are too ethnocentric, ignore issue of non-citizens children and during its elaboration opinion of ethnic minorities organisations was not taken into account. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya