• Chas prints an article about illegal migrants crossing Latvian border
• NGO Prata Speks launched free-of-charge Latvian language courses for the eighth year

Chas prints an article about illegal migrants crossing Latvian border. According to a representative of the State Border Guard Service, Latvia has the highest percentage of detention of persons who illegally enter the country among the Baltic States. In 2009, there were 23 incidents of detentions of persons illegally crossing the border with Russia and Belarus. Representative of the Ministry of Interior states that the State Border Guard Service ensures control only on external Schengen borders, while, on internal borders with Lithuania and Estonia the intensive control is hindered due to the shortage of funding.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the NGO Prata Speks launched free-of-charge Latvian language courses for the eighth year. According to the head of the NGO Igors Kuzmuks, there is large number of people who come to the courses willing to learn Latvian with an aim to feel more comfortably in the society and to pass naturalisation exams.

• Naturalisation rate continues to fall
• Telegraf reports about a meeting of organisations representing Russian speaking minorities in Europe

According to

According to Vesti Segodnya, the rate of naturalisation in Latvia has decreased so significantly, that now it matches the rate of naturalisation in 1996. Since the beginning of 2009, Latvian citizenship was granted only to 1,386 persons. In 2008, citizenship was granted to 3,004 persons, while at the peak of naturalisation in 2005, 19,169 persons received Latvian citizenship trough naturalisation.

Telegraf reports about a meeting of organisations representing Russian speaking minorities in France, Spain, Cyprus and Latvia (represented by the newspaper Telegraf). The organisations, in the framework of the European program Grundtvig, conduct survey of Russian speaking residents in Europe with an aim to compose an image of Russian European resident. During the visit representatives of the organisations met with the MPs, the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs and academicians.

• 21 Russian language NGOs call to revise regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers which recently increased state language proficiency requirements in employment
• Council of Latvias NGOs calls the ECHR to evaluate the case of Kononov on legal, not historical grounds

21 Russian language NGOs sent an appeal to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers and the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis asking to revise new regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on state language proficiency requirements for certain professions and occupations. The new regulations (entered into force on 1 September 2009) considerably widened the list of professions which require various levels of state language proficiency and raised requirements for professions that were required various levels of state language proficiency under previous regulations. The NGOs highlight that the level of unemployment is higher among ethnic minorities and consider that the new regulations might lead to their further exclusion from the labour market. The NGOs propose to reduce the recent additions to the list of professions and occupations which require language proficiency; to lower Latvian language proficiency requirements for applicants for permanent residency; and to cancel state language requirements for deputies of municipal councils.

21 Russian language NGOs sent an appeal to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers and the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis asking to revise new regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on state language proficiency requirements for certain professions and occupations. The new regulations (entered into force on 1 September 2009) considerably widened the list of professions which require various levels of state language proficiency and raised requirements for professions that were required various levels of state language proficiency under previous regulations. The NGOs highlight that the level of unemployment is higher among ethnic minorities and consider that the new regulations might lead to their further exclusion from the labour market. The NGOs propose to reduce the recent additions to the list of professions and occupations which require language proficiency; to lower Latvian language proficiency requirements for applicants for permanent residency; and to cancel state language requirements for deputies of municipal councils. Vesti Segodnya

Council of Latvia’s NGOs, representing 50 organisations, addressed Jean Paul Costa, the President of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with an open letter, calling the ECHR to evaluate the case of Kononov vs. Latvia on legal, not historical grounds. The authors of the letter believe that the last decision of the ECHR was fair and just, and see attempts to consider the case on historical grounds as an attempt to punish those who fought on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition and to justify those who fought on the side of Hitler’s Germany.

Council of Latvias NGOs, representing 50 organisations, addressed Jean Paul Costa, the President of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with an open letter, calling the ECHR to evaluate the case of Kononov vs. Latvia on legal, not historical grounds. The authors of the letter believe that the last decision of the ECHR was fair and just, and see attempts to consider the case on historical grounds as an attempt to punish those who fought on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition and to justify those who fought on the side of Hitlers Germany. Vesti Segodnya

• Saeima in the final reading allowed slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut
• Conference of organisations representing Russian speaking residents of Europe begins today in Riga
• MP Juris Dobelis insulted another MP with words: Occupant, shut up your mouth!
• Police launched a criminal process against persons visible on a video physically attacking a man saying to him Speak to me Latvian or I will kick your head!

Yesterday, the Saeima in the second and the final reading supported draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The amendments allow slaughter of animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism.

Yesterday, the Saeima in the second and the final reading supported draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The amendments allow slaughter of animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena

Telegraf reports that conference of organisations representing Russian speaking residents of Europe begins today in Riga. The participants will elaborate recommendations on integration of Russian speaking minorities in the EU for the European Commission. The meeting is held in the framework of the European program Grundtvig.

Yesterday, during the Saeima’s session, the MP Juris Dobelis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM) shouted at the MP Aleksandrs Golubovs (Concord Centre) “Occupant, shut up your mouth!” and “Death to occupants!” The Saeima’s speaker made a warning to Juris Dobelis for these statements. Mr. Golubovs is planning to turn to the Saeima’s Ethnics Committee in order to receive public apology from Mr. Dobelis.

Yesterday, during the Saeimas session, the MP Juris Dobelis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM) shouted at the MP Aleksandrs Golubovs (Concord Centre) Occupant, shut up your mouth! and Death to occupants! The Saeimas speaker made a warning to Juris Dobelis for these statements. Mr. Golubovs is planning to turn to the Saeimas Ethnics Committee in order to receive public apology from Mr. Dobelis. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The police launched a criminal process against persons visible on a video physically attacking a man saying to him “Speak to me Latvian or I will kick your head!” The video recently was placed on

The police launched a criminal process against persons visible on a video physically attacking a man saying to him Speak to me Latvian or I will kick your head! The video recently was placed on www.youtube.com. The police launched the criminal process for hooliganism in a group and already detained one of the attackers, while, the other attacker was not detained because he is under age. According to a representative of the Security Police, six complaints on incitement to ethnic hatred were received since the beginning of the year. In four of the cases, the Police refused to launch criminal process. Telegraf

• Chief of the State Police Valdis Voins: social and inter-ethnic tensions in Latvian society are growing
• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM does not support draft amendments which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut
• Deputy of the Riga City Council Ruslan Pankratov: rules on obligatory state language proficiency for the deputies of the Saeima and municipal councils are discriminatory

According to the chief of the State Police Valdis Voins, social and inter-ethnic tensions in Latvian society are growing because of economic crisis. Lately, the police registered surge of crimes committed on xenophobic grounds. According to the opinion surveys provided by the police, 45% of ethnic Latvians and 41% of ethnic minorities in Latvia have extremely negative attitude towards Muslims. Mr. Voins stated that the police reinforced control over members of right-wing and left-wing radical movements because they can become catalysts of mass disorders during the crisis. Telegraf

The Saeimas faction For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) does not support amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The FF/LNIM considers that religious confessions non-traditional to Latvia, especially if their traditions contradict local traditions and ethic norms, should not be supported and strengthened in Latvia. As reported, the elaborated draft amendments allow slaughter of animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism. Chas, Diena

Latvijas Avize reports that the deputy of the Riga City Council Ruslan Pankratov considers that the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulating obligatory highest level of state language proficiency for the deputies of the Saeima and municipal councils are discriminatory. Therefore, Mr. Pankratov is verifying whether the Regulations comply with the EU standards. In the meantime, the Head of the Control Department of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis believes that the Regulations are not discriminatory because they determine that deputies are not more equal than others among those to whom the State Language Law applies.