• One of the leaders of an NGO “Democratic Patriots” Liene Cipule: first of all, it is important to speak about integration of non-citizens

One of the leaders of an NGO “Democratic Patriots” Liene Cipule in an interview with Diena states that there are no civil political parties in Latvia because all parties more or less are with ethnic distinctions. According to Mrs Cipule, it is absurd to assume that ethnic Latvians are a priori “loyal” but Russians “disloyal” towards the state. Mrs Cipule believes that talks about integration for person who is Latvian citizen regardless of ethnic belonging are insulting and, first of all, it is important to speak about integration of non-citizens because it is also absurd that there are so many non-citizens in the state.

• Parliament of Un-represented conducted its second session
• MEP from Latvia Karlis Sadurskis: education system in one (Latvian) language would let to increase teachers’ wages
• Journalist Ksenija Zagorovska: Latvian government did everything possible to merge different parts of ethnic Russian residents into one community

Vesti Segodnya reports about a second session of the Parliament of Un-represented. Member of the Parliament Aleksandrs Gaponenko informed about the initial work of the committee on counting damage caused to non-citizens by Latvian authorities. According to Mr. Gaponenko, there are prepared complaint forms for non-citizens who believe they were caused damage from the status of non-citizen. On the basis of these forms, the lawyers will submit appeals to court – large number of private claims against the state. Other member, Vladimirs Lindermans proposed to establish a committee which will prepare appeals to the Saeima on a regular basis proposing cancellation of legal norms discriminatory to non-citizens.

MEP from Latvia Karlis Sadurskis (former Minister of Education who introduced language reform in minority schools in 2004) considers that it is time to end the bilingual education system and transfer all state funded Russian language schools into Latvian language only. Mr Sadurskis believes education system in one language would let to increase teachers’ wages because it would save finances spent for maintenance of bilingual system. Mr Sadurskis proposes to start transition of minority school into Latvian language gradually starting with first grades in 2015, first and second grades in 2016 and so on. According to Karlis Sadurskis, integration in Latvia should be based only on Latvian language. Latvijas Avize

Neatkariga prints an interview with journalist, ex-editor of one the former biggest Russian language newspapers Chas (the newspaper does not exist anymore) Ksenija Zagorovska. According to Mrs Zagorovska, historically Russians in Latvia were not united, because one part of Russians have been living in Latvia during the first Latvian republic in 1918-1940 but the other part arrived during Soviet period. First part automatically received Latvian citizenship but many people from the second part still have status of non-citizen.  Mrs Zagorovska believes that Latvian government did everything possible by enforcing aggressive reforms, showing contemptuous attitude towards all “Russian things” to merge these two parts of Russian speaking residents into one community. Mrs Zagorovska also states that it is wrong to think that Russian residents want to see Russia in Latvia because it is myth and 98% of Russians certainly do not want it and respect the order of things in this country.

• Conference about the results of the language reform in minority schools conducted in 2004
• Nationalists’ union calls “ethnic Latvian” parties to unite for the elections

 Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference organised by ex-MP and activist for defence of Russian language schools Jakovs Pliners about the results of the language reform in minority schools conducted in 2004. Participants of the conference reminded that initially government planned to transfer education in ethnic minority secondary schools into Latvian language only, but after the large protest of teachers, children and their parents (198 protest actions within one year), it was agreed to set the proportion the 60% of subjects in Latvian, 40% in minority language. According, to another activist for defence of Russian schools Vladimirs Buzajevs the protests against the reform were caused by the initial aim of the reform to deprive Russian children of complete education which would lead to moral and social degradation and decrease their competitiveness.  Jakovs Pliners stated that, eventually, Russians schools did not benefit from the language reform but also did lose. According to Mr Pliners, the pressure on Russian language schools continues as there is no preparation of teachers for minority schools and such schools do not exist in many Latvian regions anymore. Mr Pliners also criticized the unified state language examination for graduators of Latvian language and minority schools introduced two years ago arguing  that it initially puts students for whom Latvian language is not native in unequal situation and thus they receive lower examination evaluation which is very important claiming for scholarship at local universities. Doctor of pedagogy Valerijs Buhvalovs called to strengthen component of Russian culture in schools because it will preserve cultural identity of students.

 

The  nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM appealed to the biggest so called “ethnic Latvian” parties – the Unity, the Reforms Party and the Union of Greens and Farmers – calling those to unite in one list in the up-coming Saeima elections. The aim of such union is to win the elections and receive majority of mandates in order to ensure political stability and decrease chances of anti-state forces – by this considering the potential success of the Concord Centre. Commenting such call, representatives of the Reforms Party stated that consolidation of political parties is an interesting idea but it does not accept attempt to draw a line on principle of ethnic belonging. Vesti Segodnya

• No Hate Speech campaign launched in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with well-known Latvian lawyer Andris Grutups

The Society Integration Foundation in co-operation with the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and the Ministry of Education and Science launched the national campaign against hate speech. The campaign is launched in the framework of the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech Movement. The aim of the campaign is to promote equality, mutual respect, human rights and diversity. In the framework of the campaign it is planned to organise educative events about hate speech online and inform young people about the risks can face online. Latvian Avize

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with well-known Latvian lawyer (known also for his nationalistic views) Andris Grutups. Mr Grutups does not agree that state’s economic future depends only on relations between ethnic Latvians and Russian speaking community because first of all it is important to develop manufacturing industry. Regarding the idea of consolidation of ethnic Latvians and Russians speakers, Mr Grutups states that it is important to understand on what basis it will happen and whether it will be based on invariable principle of ethnic Latvian state and language.  Mr Grutups also believes that about 20% of Russians speakers have very strong patriotic sense towards Latvia and patriotism can be one of the principles for state’s consolidation ideology. According to Mr Grutups, Latvian policy oriented on rightwing ideology, liberal economy, exaggerated actualisation of human rights and minorities’ issues has failed. Mr Grutups believes that large number of emigrated Latvians from the country speaks about one of the most unfavourable periods for Latvian nation.

• Vesti Segodnya interviews activist for rights of non-citizens Vladimirs Buzajevs about differences in rights of citizens and non-citizens
• Academic Juris Rozenvalds: Concord Centre has monopolised all Russian speaking electorate

Vesti Segodnya interviews activist for rights of non-citizens, ex-MP Vladimirs Buzajevs about differences in rights of citizens and non-citizens. According to Mr Buzajevs, the differences in rights do not decrease during the past 10 years period and currently there are about 80 differences. Mr Buzajevs says that some old restrictions were abolished, yet some new were introduced. There is international pressure to abolish some of restrictions, yet some of the restrictions that were abolished following recommendations of human rights experts, were re-introduced again. Besides very significant differences such as reduced pensions, the ban for non-citizens to vote in elections, work in police, limitations to own land, and others, there are also some new and absurd limitations such as ban to work in the management of especially dangerous (toxic and radioactive) garbage, ban to work as patentors, and the ban to work as official in the Registry Office. Mr.Buzajevs points out that those immigrants to Latvia who have citizenship of other EU countries, have more rights than the local non-citizens of Latvia, such as voting or purchasing land. Vladimirs Buzajevs plans to publish the updated list of differences between citizens and non-citizens.

Latvijas Avize interviews academic Juris Rozenvalds about political participation of ethnic minorities. According to Mr Rozenvalds, the Concord Centre (CC) has monopolised all Russian speaking electorate and this is dangerous to Latvia’s politics because decreases political competitiveness. Mr Rozenvals believes the CC as well as other so called “Russian” parties were excluded from the government all past 20 years not because of their social economic program but because it was deliberate choice of governing politicians to prevent "Russians" from coming to power. Mr Rozenvalds believes that exclusion of representatives of Russians speaking residents also leaves impact on state’s development. At the same time, inclusion of the CC in the government would help to reduce tension and to let them take political responsibility.