• Saeimas Sub-commission on Society Integration held a meeting with the Head of the IUMSILS Kristine Vagnere
• Zemgale Regional Court has postponed the revision of the appeal regarding discrimination of a Romani woman
• Telegraf interviews the leader of the Socialistic party Alferds Rubiks on his possible support of the new government
• Vesti Segodnya prints an article about the enrolment of Russian-language schools graduates in Latvian universities

Latvijas Avize reports that the Saeimas Sub-commission on Society Integration has discussed social integration projects with the Head of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) Kristine Vagnere for next six months. The head of the Secretariat has pointed to the governments adoption of the national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia. She has also informed of the project on anti-discrimination supported by the European Commission. On 16 November, the International Day of Tolerance, the Secretariat is planning to organise several educational events for youth and teachers with the participation of Somalians who were recently granted an alternative status.

Yesterday, the Zemgale Regional Court has postponed the revision of the enterprise’s PALSO appeal concerning its refusal to hire a Romani woman until 6 December. The absence of the enterprise’s representative has been the reason for the postponement of the court proceeding. As reported, the Romani woman Sanita Kozlovska believes that she was refused in hiring because of her ethnicity. In May 2006, the Jelgava Regional Court has ruled in favour of the plaintiff and fined the enterprise PALSO with LVL 1,000 (EURO 1,422). However, PALSO has appealed the ruling.

Yesterday, the Zemgale Regional Court has postponed the revision of the enterprises PALSO appeal concerning its refusal to hire a Romani woman until 6 December. The absence of the enterprises representative has been the reason for the postponement of the court proceeding. As reported, the Romani woman Sanita Kozlovska believes that she was refused in hiring because of her ethnicity. In May 2006, the Jelgava Regional Court has ruled in favour of the plaintiff and fined the enterprise PALSO with LVL 1,000 (EURO 1,422). However, PALSO has appealed the ruling. NRA

In an interview with

In an interview with Telegraf, the leader of the Socialist party (a part of the party The Concord Centre) Alfreds Rubiks has stated that his party will support a new government only if it supports at least some proposals of The Concord Centres program and begin to solve the problem of mass non-citizenship.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about the enrolment of Russian-language schools graduates in the Latvian high schools. The columnist interviews several students enrolled in the universities this year as well as representatives of some Russian-language schools. According to them, many Russian students have not taken state-funded places in universities because of insufficient Latvian language proficiency.

• Cabinet of Ministers has approved the national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009
• Security Police has stopped the criminal process against five young people detained for making racially insulting statements towards a dark skinned citizen of Canada
• Latvijas Avize prints an article by the leader of the extreme right-wing political party All for Latvia! Raivis Dzintars on the case of Aleksandrs Gilmans

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009. As reported, the programme focuses on three main areas: employment, education and human rights.

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009. As reported, the programme focuses on three main areas: employment, education and human rights. Diena

The Security Police has stopped the criminal process against five young people who were detained for making racially insulting statements towards a dark skinned citizen of Canada in the centre of Riga in September.  According to the Security Police, there is no evidence approving that the actions of the young people were aimed at incitement to racial or ethnic hatred.

The Security Police has stopped the criminal process against five young people who were detained for making racially insulting statements towards a dark skinned citizen of Canada in the centre of Riga in September. According to the Security Police, there is no evidence approving that the actions of the young people were aimed at incitement to racial or ethnic hatred. Chas

Latvijas Avize prints an article by the leader of the extreme right-wing political party All for Latvia! Raivis Dzintars on the case of Aleksandrs Gilmans. As reported Aleksandrs Gilmans was charged for anti-governmental statements made on the internet forum of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools homepage. Recently the court has justified Aleksandrs Gilmans. Raivis Dzintars believed that Gilmans statements are hostile to Latvia and contain open call for forcible overturn of the state regime. Therefore, Raivis Dzintars claimed that: such persons have not deserved to be citizens of Latvia and have to be expelled from the country.

• Formation of a new government
• Debates on use of the state language
• State Language Examination commission examines state language proficiency of high officials
• Member of the Riga City Council about situation regarding Russian schools
• Funding allotted for new projects aimed at providing Latvian language training
• Newspapers follow the lives of the seven Somalis in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize features an article about migration in Europe and Latvia
• Interview with the director of the documentary on Jews in Latvia
• MP about non-citizens law

The People’s Party, the Union of Farmers and Greens and the Latvian First Party are discussing a possibility to continue work in a ruling coalition in the next Saeima without the fourth partner. The possibility to work with the right-wing party  FF/LNIM did not acquire a big support because of FF/LNIM’s wish to adopt a new, stricter Citizenship Law. Newspapers broadly discuss a possibility that the left-wing party Concord Centre will be involved in the government.

The Peoples Party, the Union of Farmers and Greens and the Latvian First Party are discussing a possibility to continue work in a ruling coalition in the next Saeima without the fourth partner. The possibility to work with the right-wing party FF/LNIM did not acquire a big support because of FF/LNIMs wish to adopt a new, stricter Citizenship Law. Newspapers broadly discuss a possibility that the left-wing party Concord Centre will be involved in the government. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Neatkariga writes that the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on use of minority languages by the Latvian National Human Rights Office and the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration in information intended for public use has stirred hot debates among state language inspectors who believe that it might result in acceptance of use of the Russian language in public sphere. The Ministry of Justice has formed a working group that has to report whether there are grounds to amend regulations on use of language intended for public use also regarding other institutions. The LNHRO and IUMSILS believe that regulations should be amended so that institutions dealing with ethnic integration issues might provide information in minority languages. However, state language inspectors disagree with the proposal.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Chief of the Information Centres Arms Inventory Department of the Ministry of Interiors Olegs Buraks has been unexpectedly summoned to the state language examination commission to examine his state language proficiency. Olegs Buraks state language proficiency did not comply with the required highest level of state language proficiency and was fined with LVL 30 (about EUR 50).

Chas features an interview with member of the Riga City Council Viktors Gluhovs about issues regarding Russian schools. He notes to that there is a lack of teachers who can teach in Russian and other minority languages. The member of the Riga City Council also points out that due to a low fertility rate over the last years in Latvia, many schools could not collect a sufficient number of students to open a first grade.

The Society Integration Foundation has approved seven projects aimed at providing Latvian language courses for adults. It is planned to fund more Latvian language teaching projects from outstanding funding from other projects.

The Society Integration Foundation has approved seven projects aimed at providing Latvian language courses for adults. It is planned to fund more Latvian language teaching projects from outstanding funding from other projects. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers feature an article about the seven Somalis who were granted the alternative status in summer 2006. The three juveniles are attending a school with Latvian as an instruction language in a rural district, while adults are under training in a hotel in the capital.

Newspapers feature an article about the seven Somalis who were granted the alternative status in summer 2006. The three juveniles are attending a school with Latvian as an instruction language in a rural district, while adults are under training in a hotel in the capital. Diena, Chas

Latvijas Avize features an article on undocumented migration. An official of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs argues that a massive influx of undocumented immigrants might distort Latvias economy, impose strange traditions on Latvian inhabitants and provoke ethnic and racial hatred. The newspaper notes that some relief in this situation is the statement of the outgoing Prime Minister that Latvia supports strict immigration policy.

Rigas Balss features an interview with Andris Gauja, director of a documentary 3000 kilometres from the promised land about Jews in Latvia. The director of the documentary states that the main aim of the documentary was to find out whether traditions of Judaism are strong among Jews who live in Latvia. He argues that the majority of Latvian Jews are far from traditions. He admits that local Jews perceived the documentary with shared feelings and one of their main criticism was that the documentary does not show a typical, normal, todays Jew.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article by MP Vladimirs Buzajevs (FHRUL) on the Law On the Restoration of the Rights of Citizens of the Republic of Latvia and the Basic Regulation for Naturalization which was adopted 15 years ago. The MP criticizes the law because it has divided Latvian society into citizens and non-citizens.

• Russian Minister of Economics: large number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia is a good start to develop sound relations between the two countries
• No Latvian language courses for people having seeing difficulties
• News in lives of the seven Somalians who were granted alternative status in Latvia

On 13 October, Russia and Latvia have signed a framework agreement for economical co-operation. The Russian Minister of Economics German Gref stated that the large number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia is a good beggining for development of interrelations. The Latvian Minister of Economics Aigars Stokenbergs stated that about 90% of Latvian residents speak Russian language, which is a good pre-condition for co-operation in business sphere.

On 13 October, Russia and Latvia have signed a framework agreement for economical co-operation. The Russian Minister of Economics German Gref stated that the large number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia is a good beggining for development of interrelations. The Latvian Minister of Economics Aigars Stokenbergs stated that about 90% of Latvian residents speak Russian language, which is a good pre-condition for co-operation in business sphere. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with a woman who has seeing difficulties. The woman claims that she wants to pass the naturalisation exams to acquire Latvian citizenship, however, she was not able to find any language learning courses for people with seeing difficulties.

Diena, Latvijas Avize and NRA continue to report about the Somalians who arrived to Latvia in September 2005 and were granted alternative status in July 2006. The newspapers report that four grown-up Somalians have sign a contract with one of the hotels and presently are getting trained for work in service sphere. Under-aged Somalians, in their turn, are gaining good results in school.

• Ex-Prime Minister Andris Skele: coalition has to begin cooperation with The Concord Centre as a representative of the Russian-speaker population
• Diena features an interview with the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehre

The ex-Prime Minister of Latvia, member of the People’s Party Andris Skele in an interview with the National Radio stated that the outgoing Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis who has been also nominated by parties who collected the biggest number of votes as their candidacy for the post of prime minister has to try to compose a new governing coalition including the left-wing party “The Concord Centre” that collected fourth highest number of votes in the last Saeima elections. Andris Skele believed that that the coalition has to begin cooperation with “The Concord Centre” because it is a representative of Russian-speaking residents of Latvia.

The ex-Prime Minister of Latvia, member of the Peoples Party Andris Skele in an interview with the National Radio stated that the outgoing Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis who has been also nominated by parties who collected the biggest number of votes as their candidacy for the post of prime minister has to try to compose a new governing coalition including the left-wing party The Concord Centre that collected fourth highest number of votes in the last Saeima elections. Andris Skele believed that that the coalition has to begin cooperation with The Concord Centre because it is a representative of Russian-speaking residents of Latvia. Chas

Diena features an interview with the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehre, who recently was elected the First Vice President of the Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Ilze Brands-Kehre stated that yet Latvia has ratified the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities, national minorities still continue to face problems regarding use of minority language.