• Neatkariga reports about the Roma congress
• Seminar Russian minorities in the Baltic states in the context of recognition politics is held today in Riga
• Public opinion survey: majority of voters would like to see the Concord Centreand the Union of Greens and Framers in the new governing coalition

Neatkariga reports about the Roma Congress held on Saturday. The congress was aimed at uniting different Roma NGOs to represent Roma interests in international organisations more effectively. However, the Roma NGOs did not reach an agreement about the union because part of Roma delegates objected to the congress being organised by the members of political parties running for the parliamentary elections.

A seminar “Russian minorities in Baltic states in the context of politics of recognition” supported by the Fridrich-Ebert-Stiftung. is held today in Riga  

A seminar Russian minorities in Baltic states in the context of politics of recognition supported by the Fridrich-Ebert-Stiftung. is held today in Riga Chas

According to a public opinion survey conducted by “SKDS” the majority of voters would like to see the Concord Centre (36%) and the Union of Greens and Framers (35%) in the new coalition government after the Saeima elections. At the same time, the majority of Latvian speaking voters consider that the governing coalition should include the Union of Greens and Farmers (43,1%), the Unity (42,2%) and tFor Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (39,4%).

According to a public opinion survey conducted by SKDS the majority of voters would like to see the Concord Centre (36%) and the Union of Greens and Framers (35%) in the new coalition government after the Saeima elections. At the same time, the majority of Latvian speaking voters consider that the governing coalition should include the Union of Greens and Farmers (43,1%), the Unity (42,2%) and tFor Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (39,4%). Neatkariga

• MP Janis Urbanovics: people who do not speak Latvian language is a result of wrong language policy in Latvia

MP Janis Urbanovics (the Concord Centre) believes that people who do not speak Latvian is the result of wrong language policy in Latvia. Mr. Urbanovics believes that those who actively fight against the usage of the Russian language only strengthen the resistance of even fluent speakers to speak Latvian.

MP Janis Urbanovics (the Concord Centre) believes that people who do not speak Latvian is the result of wrong language policy in Latvia. Mr. Urbanovics believes that those who actively fight against the usage of the Russian language only strengthen the resistance of even fluent speakers to speak Latvian. Diena

• Municipal deputies will be deprived of mandate if fail to improve state language skills
• Riga City Council did not allow local Roma NGO to hold a protest action near the French embassy in Riga against Roma deportations from France
• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM criticize the existing situation when in majority of Latvian schools Russian language is studied as the second foreign language

Yesterday, the Saeima approved in the final reading draft amendments to the law on the status of municipal deputies. Amendments envisage that deputies who don’t have certain level of Latvian language proficiency will have to improve their proficiency and their training will be paid by municipality. If a deputy fails to attest the required level within half a year, the State Language Centre will be able to request a regional court to annul the deputy’s mandate. The amendments do not apply on municipal deputies elected in 2009.

Yesterday, the Saeima approved in the final reading draft amendments to the law on the status of municipal deputies. Amendments envisage that deputies who dont have certain level of Latvian language proficiency will have to improve their proficiency and their training will be paid by municipality. If a deputy fails to attest the required level within half a year, the State Language Centre will be able to request a regional court to annul the deputys mandate. The amendments do not apply on municipal deputies elected in 2009. Telegraf, Chas, Diena, Neatkariga

The Riga City Council did not allow local Roma NGO to hold a protest action near the French Embassy in Riga because the application for it was submitted too late. Local Roma by the action wanted to voice their protests against Roma deportations from France.

The Riga City Council did not allow local Roma NGO to hold a protest action near the French Embassy in Riga because the application for it was submitted too late. Local Roma by the action wanted to voice their protests against Roma deportations from France. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize reports that members of the nationalists political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM criticize the existing situation when in majority of Latvian schools Russian language is studied as the second foreign language (first foreign language is English.) The partys members consider that students of Latvian schools should study at least two of the EU languages in the first place in order to be more competitive in the labour market, while, Russian can be studied as the third foreign language.

• Jewish Religious Community of Riga asks to extend the working hours of polling stations due to Sabbath
• Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis: double citizenship could help to preserve ties of Latvians living in other countries with Latvia

The Jewish Religious Community of Riga appealed to the Saeima’s Legal Affairs Committee asking to extend the working hours of polling stations at the Saeima’s election day from 8 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. due to Sabbath. Sabbath, which prohibits religious Jews to take part in public events on Saturday, ends at 7.55 p.m.

The Jewish Religious Community of Riga appealed to the Saeimas Legal Affairs Committee asking to extend the working hours of polling stations at the Saeimas election day from 8 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. due to Sabbath. Sabbath, which prohibits religious Jews to take part in public events on Saturday, ends at 7.55 p.m. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, at the annual meeting of the World Union of Free Latvians, the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis stated that double citizenship could help to preserve ties of Latvians living in other countries with Latvia. Mr. Dombrovskis believed that the next Saeima probably will discus issues around double citizenship.

Yesterday, at the annual meeting of the World Union of Free Latvians, the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis stated that double citizenship could help to preserve ties of Latvians living in other countries with Latvia. Mr. Dombrovskis believed that the next Saeima probably will discus issues around double citizenship. Chas

• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM-All for Latvia! complains about the Russian language channel TV5 for not inviting its representatives to pre-election discussion programme
• Belorussian community in Latvia celebrated its 20th anniversary

Political union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM-All for Latvia! has complained to the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEMMC) and the State Language Centre (SLC) about channel TV5 for its refusal to allow the representatives of the party to take part in a pre-election discussion programme. According to the FF/LNIM-All for Latvia!, TV5 informed that the representatives of the party are not invited to the programme which is broadcast in Russian as they want to speak in Latvian only. Head of NEMMC Abrams Kleckins and the representative of the SLC Antons Kursitis believe that such TV channels action contradicts the State Language Law and that the NEMMC is planning to start an administrative case against TV5. Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga

Belorussian community recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. There are more than 82,000 ethnic Belorussians residing in Latvia which constitute 3,7% of entire population. First Belorussian cultural association was established in 1990 by 26 ethnic Belorussians residents of Latvia. Chas