• MP Sandra Kalniete: there is too much Russian language on Latvian TV channels
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a seminar on perspectives of self-organisation of Russians in Latvia
• Russian NGOs and survivors of the Nazi concentration camp in Salaspils object against placement of a memorial for German soldiers on the territory of memorial to the victims of the concentration camp

Telegraf reports that the MP Sandra Kalniete has stated that there is too much Russian language on Latvian TV channels. Therefore, the MP considers that the law on Radio and Television should include norms regulating proportion of Latvian and other languages in the content of TV broadcasts. Such norm was already abolished following the decision of the Constitutional Court, which found it discriminatory.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a seminar on perspectives of self-organisation of Russians in Latvia. Participants, mostly members of Russian NGOs, have discussed issues which hinder unity of Russian NGOs.

Vesti Segodnya reports about plans to place on the territory of former Nazi concentration camp in Salaspils (presently memorial to the victims of the concentration camp) a memorial for German soldiers died in the WWII. Several Russian NGOs and survivors of the concentration camp object against such plans arguing that it is sacrilege towards hundreds of thousands people tortured to death in the camp and insult to those who survived in the Nazi camp. According to the director of the Salaspils memorial, a number of German soldiers, who died as prisoners of war were buried on the territory of the present Salaspils memorial, therefore, German side wants to take care of these burials and place its memorial as well.

• Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of a working group on elaboration of the guidelines for integration policy
• Vesti Segodnya prints an article about different choice of internet resources by Russian and Latvian speaking residents in Latvia
• State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years

Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of a working group on elaboration of the guidelines for integration policy held yesterday. Members of the working group decided to ask the government to extend the deadline for elaboration of the guidelines till 1 January 2009. According to the draft guidelines elaborated by a private company hired by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, long-term aim of integration policy in Latvia is united society established on common values. These values are independent, democratic and national Latvian state and European common values such as human dignity, freedom, solidarity, rule of law and human rights, including minority rights. Society integration is defined as a process that promotes the sense of belonging of Latvian residents towards a complex of shared values, national state and Europe trough democratic involvement and representation, mutual agreement and co-operation, dignity and non-discrimination.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about different choice of internet resources by Russian and Latvian speaking residents in Latvia. According to the editor of Russian language version of news portal delfi.lv, there are differences in content of Russian and Latvian versions due to specific features of interests of both audiences. For instance, Russian language news portal provides greater focus on domestic news because international news in Russian language can be accessed at large number of Russian internet sites. According to the editor, comments to the news stories placed by the sites users show that opinion of Russian and Latvian speakers concerning various events, especially political, often are absolutely contrary. A recent tendency is that interethnic debates are spilling over to Sports news category. According to the article, the split between Latvian and Russian speakers is well seen in the choice of two different social networking websites most popular in Latvia – majority of ethnic Latvians prefer to communicate trough one network, while majority of Russian speakers through another.

The State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years. The person resided in the country without valid visa or residency permit since December 1991.

The State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years. The person resided in the country without valid visa or residency permit since December 1991. NRA

• Telegraf: client threw a cup of hot coffee on a waitress accusing her of not speaking Latvian
• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM appealed to the railway company asking to stop demonstrating movies in Russian language in trains
• Member of a political party Civil Union proposes to limit broadcast of Russian language TV channels in Latvia

Telegraf reports about an accident in a café at the Riga international airport, where a client has thrown a cup of hot coffee on a waitress accusing her of not speaking Latvian. Representative of the café denies the accusation. Shortly after the accident the client was detained by police and fined for hooliganism. The client has appealed to the State Language Centre asking to punish the café for violation of state language law. He also claims for money compensation for missed flight due to the conflict.

The Saeima’s faction of right-wing union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM has appealed to the railway company asking to stop demonstrating movies in Russian language in trains. The FF/LNIM considers that demonstration of a movie in foreign language in public places is violation of the State Language Law.

The Saeimas faction of right-wing union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM has appealed to the railway company asking to stop demonstrating movies in Russian language in trains. The FF/LNIM considers that demonstration of a movie in foreign language in public places is violation of the State Language Law. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Member of a political party “Civil Union” Aija Calite-Dulevska criticizes the draft law on audio and audiovisual mass media submitted to the Saeima arguing that its norms insufficiently stipulate preservation of state language in mass media in Latvia. Mrs. Calite-Dulevska considers that there are too many Russian channels broadcasting in Latvia and this fact does not promote integration of Russian speaking residents, therefore, the draft law should limit broadcast of Russian language TV channels in Latvia

Member of a political party Civil Union Aija Calite-Dulevska criticizes the draft law on audio and audiovisual mass media submitted to the Saeima arguing that its norms insufficiently stipulate preservation of state language in mass media in Latvia. Mrs. Calite-Dulevska considers that there are too many Russian channels broadcasting in Latvia and this fact does not promote integration of Russian speaking residents, therefore, the draft law should limit broadcast of Russian language TV channels in Latvia. Latvijas Avize (22.09), Vesti Segodnya

• Survey: majority of Latvian residents are intolerant towards Roma, homosexuals, guest workers and Muslims
• Security Police has initiated a criminal process on incitement to ethnic hatred in a statement made on Internet forum
• Minster of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) proposes to stop naturalisation
• Vesti Segodnya prints opinion of representatives of ethnic minority NGOs regarding decision to close the Secretariat of the Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration

According to a public opinion survey conducted by the Analytical Research and Strategy Laboratory, majority of Latvian residents are intolerant towards Roma, homosexuals, guest workers and Muslims. 53% of residents of Riga would not like to live in the same neighbourhood with Roma, 48% with homosexuals, 33,7% with guest workers and 25,5% with Muslims. Highest level of intolerance towards homosexuals and Roma is in Latgale (Eastern part of Latvia).

According to a public opinion survey conducted by the Analytical Research and Strategy Laboratory, majority of Latvian residents are intolerant towards Roma, homosexuals, guest workers and Muslims. 53% of residents of Riga would not like to live in the same neighbourhood with Roma, 48% with homosexuals, 33,7% with guest workers and 25,5% with Muslims. Highest level of intolerance towards homosexuals and Roma is in Latgale (Eastern part of Latvia).

Chas reports that the Security Police has initiated criminal proceedings on incitement to ethnic hatred in a statement made on Internet forum. According to the newspaper, in May 2008, a person under nick-name Randy commented victory of Russias ice hockey team in the world championship by calling for violence against Russians in Riga.

The Minster of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has appealed to governing coalition’s partners to stop naturalisation. The Minister considers that Latvian citizenship for those residents who arrived to Latvia in Soviet times should be granted only as an exception by the Saeima’s order.

The Minster of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has appealed to governing coalitions partners to stop naturalisation. The Minister considers that Latvian citizenship for those residents who arrived to Latvia in Soviet times should be granted only as an exception by the Saeimas order. Chas

Vesti Segodnya prints opinion of representatives of ethnic minority NGOs in Latvia regarding decision of the Prime Minister to close the Secretariat of the Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration. Head of Russian Society in Latvia Tatjana Favorska states that their NGO does not co-operate with the Secretariat because considers it as a decorative structure which creates only illusion of democracy. Head of the Roma Union Leons Gidra states that their NGO will not feel as if something is lost because of the closure, since the Secretariats support was too small. In the meantime, head of Baltic-Slavic society Jelena Jarosevska criticizes closure of the Secretariat and considers that it gave a lot of financial support for ethnic minority NGOs.

• Telegraf reports about growth of anti-Semitic attitudes in Europe and Latvia
• State Border Guard Service detained 5 citizens of Syria illegally transported over Latvian border

According to the research of an international opinion research group “Pew Research Centre for the People & the Press”, anti-Semitism has been rising in Eastern and Western European countries for past three years. Experts interviewed by

According to the research of an international opinion research group Pew Research Centre for the People & the Press, anti-Semitism has been rising in Eastern and Western European countries for past three years. Experts interviewed by Telegraf stated that European tendencies regarding the issue are observed also in Latvia. Representative of Latvia in the PACE Boris Cilevics believes that growth of anti-Semitism in Europe allegedly is related to influx of migrants from Islamic countries. According to Mr. Cilevics, catalyst for anti-Semitism in Latvia is history, particularly, discussions about Holocaust, the complex events of WWII and the role of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. Social scientist Aigars Freimanis considers that anti-Semitic attitudes in Latvia most often are displayed not in public political debates but on daily level, such as in internet comments and everyday communication. Telegraf

NRA reports that the State Border Guard Service has detained 5 citizens of Syria who were illegally transported over Latvian border. Neither of them had valid visas nor residency permits in Latvia.