• Latvijas Avize asks the MPs from different parties their opinion about wearing Muslim headscarves and face-covering clothing
• Gulbene Region’s Council approved that it has premises for accommodation of refugees

Latvijas Avize asks the MPs from different parties their opinion about wearing Muslim headscarves and face-covering clothing. Rihards Kols (National Union) believes that burqas should be banned in Latvia as there is no such tradition in the Western countries. He also believes that it as a matter of security as face masks can be used maliciously in order to hide the identity. Also Lolita Cigane (Unity) thinks that headscarves completely covering the face should be banned because it is against Latvian values and wearing such clothing is humiliating for women. Nellija Kleinberga (Latvian Regions Union) stresses that immigrants should respect traditions and culture of the country they arrive to and that Latvians are not used to such type of clothing. Igors Pimenovs (Concord Centre) believes that person’s face should stay uncovered, but there is nothing provocative in wearing headscarves covering only hear. Andris Berzins (Union of Greens and Farmers) says that this issue should be well analysed taking into account experience of other countries. According to Inguna Sudraba (From Heart to Latvia), these issue can not be solved just by legal restrictions and it is a matter of explanation, education and tolerance. According to Neatkariga, ifLatvia plans to introduce any restrictions on wearing face-covering clothing such as niqab or burqa it should be done before the arrival of Muslim immigrants toLatvia. The head of the Saeima’s Legal Committee Gaidis Berzins believes that corresponding restrictions could be included in some national legal provisions.

The Gulbene Region’s Council (region in the Eastern part of Latvia) approved there are available premises for accommodation of refugees in different parishes of the region. However, according to the heads of these parishes, despite that there are even furnished apartments available, there are no places where people could be employed. Neatkariga

 

• Inter-institutional working group: refugees could be hosted by foster families
• MEP from Latvia Andrejs Mamikins: Latvia may be forced to accommodate up to 4,000 refugees
• Weekly Sestdiena interviews the Saeima’s Speaker Inara Murniece
• 10 Latvian secondary school students are going to Russia’s educative military-sports camp again

Yesterday, the inter-institutional working group on accommodation of refugees headed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Ilze Petersone-Godmane met with representatives of NGOs working with asylum seekers and refugees. According to one of the proposals, refugees could be hosted by foster families. Such system would help refugees to integrate in Latvia. Within the next sessions of the working group it is planned to meet with representatives of religious organisations which also support this idea and could help to prepare foster families. Latvijas Avize

The MEP from Latvia Andrejs Mamikins considers that accommodation of 250 refugees is only beginning and further Latvia may be forced to accommodate up to 4,000 refugees from North African countries and Afghanistan. The other MEP Iveta Grigule also agrees that Latvia will have to accept larger number of refugees. She also says that the European Parliament wants to cancel priinciple of voluntary accomodation of refugees and elaborates legal provisions setting refugee quotas for each country. Neatkariga  

According to the Saeima’s Speaker Inara Murniece, integration is a process when a person accepts the values offered by the state. She believes that Latvians should be open to accept everyone who is willing to join them. Latvians can be with different skin colour and ethnic origin, says Mrs Murniece. At the same time, she believes that all schools in Latvia should be in Latvian language only as it would strengthen Latvian language environment and all children of asylum seekers or refugees should study in Latvian language schools. Weekly magazine Sestdiena

Vesti Segodnya reports that 10 Latvian secondary school students are going to Russia’s educative military-sports camp “Union 2015. Successors of the Victory” which will be held in Armenia. As reported, the Security Police drew attention on participation of Latvian young people in Russia’s military camps and warned that the content and ideology of such camps might contradict Latvian national security interests. The camp coordinator from Latvia Sergejs Ivans approves that representatives of the security services conducted conversations with camp’s organisers in Latvia and parents of children who are going to attend it.

• State authorities will provide the society detailed information about accommodation of refugees in Latvia
• Neatkariga prints an article with the head of the Roma Association in Latvia Normunds Rudevics

In order to dispel the society concerns about the accommodation of refugees in Latvia, the Ministry of Interior and the State Chancellery will publish the information about the procedure on their websites. The special working group, in its turn, will inform the society about the news in this area. The working group established by the Cabinet of Ministers evaluates all the aspects concerning accommodation and integration of refugees and related issues. According to the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis, the first group of refugees may arrive to Latviain winter. The Minister also said that Latviais interested in accepting refugee families – parents with children instead of single refugees. Neatkariga

Neatkariga prints an article with the head of the Roma Association in Latvia Normunds Rudevics. According to him, integration approach used for Roma is not effective because Roma people do not want to be put in the so-called “frame.” N.Rudevics believes that Roma are freelancers, they think and live differently and understand differently what they are living for. Therefore, there is huge unemployment level among Roma and small number gets educated. The integration model proposed by N.Rudevics is called “XXI Century Tabor” which provides a solution for all the areas – housing, health, education etc. As reported, Mr Rudevics elaborated a draft project on establishment of Roma villages inLatvia where Roma would live and work. 

• Ministry of Interior: Latvia will receive the EU funding asylum, migrants and integration within next couple months
• President and Ombudsman propose to start discussions on wearing clothing covering women’s face in Latvia

According to a representative of the Ministry of Interior, Latviawill receive the funding from the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and Internal Security Fund within next couple months.  According to Neatkariga, several European countries includingLithuania andEstonia are already granted the EU funds. The Ministry of Interior explains thatLatvia has to make last technical coordination tasks with the European Commission in order to receive the funding.

The President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis and the Ombudsman Juris Jansons in connection to the upcoming accommodation of refugees in Latviaproposed to start public discussions on wearing clothing covering women’s face. The President personally believes that faces should not be covered. He argued that Latvian society is open and it accepts and tolerates people of different nationalities, therefore, there are no reasons to hide the face. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Governing coalition agreed to continue its work despite disagreements on refugees
• Open letter to the state official: accommodation of refugees should be viewed not as a threat but as an opportunity for Latvia
• Vesti Segodnya: residents of Daugavpils are negatively minded about possible accommodation of refugees

Yesterday, governing coalition discussed its further cooperation options. Despite the disagreements between the coalition members about the accommodation of refugees in Latvia, the governing coalition agreed to continue its work. However, the National Union (NU) did not refuse its plan to submit an application to the Constitutional Courtchallenging the government’s decision to accommodate 250 refugees in Latviawithin next two years.  The NU will also elaborate a draft law stipulating that further the decision on accommodation of refugees has to be adopted by the Parliamentary majority only. According to the MEP form Latvia, NU member Roberts Zile, issue on accommodation of refuges is more important than the government’s fate. Latvijas Avize

More than 160 scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, representatives of religious confessions and civil society signed an open letter with a message that accommodation of refugees should be viewed not as a threat but as an opportunity for Latvia. The letter is sent to the President of Latvia, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture and the Saeima’s factions. The authors of the letter call the government to elaborate the detailed action plan for accommodation and integration of refugees and to inform the society about the implementation of the plan on the regular basis in order to prevent the existing worries and fears among Latvian residents. The authors of the letter believe that Latvian residents are able to make refugees their best allies through favourable treatment and responsible actions. Vesti Segodnya

According to Vesti Segodnya, residents ofDaugavpils (city in the Eastern part ofLatvia) are negatively minded about possible accommodation of refugees in their city. One of the reasons is that residents are persuaded that refugees most likely will not obey the local law and will commit different crimes as it happens in other European countries.  According to the newspaper, the residents even evaluate an option to establish citizens patrol to prevent possible crimes.