• Required number of signatures for initiation of state funded collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens is collected
• MP Imants Paradnieks: referendum on non-citizens will promote protest reaction of ethnic Latvians
• Political scientist Andrejs Berdnikovs joined a political party “For Native Language”
• Political scientist Iveta Kazoka: past referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia brought some benefit to the society
• Diena reports about a draft Riga city integration program

The movement “For Equal Rights” collected required number of signatures for initiation of state funded collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens. According to representatives of “For Equal Rights” 12,178 signatures are collected which is even more than required. If the Central Election Committee will approve that the required number of signatures is collected, it will be required to collect about 150,000 of signatures during the second stage in order to initiate the referendum.

One of the leaders of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM, MP Imants Paradnieks commenting the successful first stage collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens stated that he believes such referendum will not improve the situation in the society and will promote protest reaction of ethnic Latvians. According to Mr Paradnieks, it is important to determine by the law that issues which may damage the basis of Latvian state could not be put on the referendum. Leader of the Saeima’s faction of the Concord Centre Janis Ubanovics, in his turn, critically evaluates the successful outcome of the referendum but at the same time believes that initiative as such reminds other countries and international institutions about problem of large scale non-citizenship in Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports that a political scientist, ex-advisor of the Minister of Culture on integration issues Andrejs Berdnikovs joined a political party “For Native Language.” According to Mr Berdnikovs the party “For Native Language” is subjected to repression on political basis and his decision to joint the party is a protest action with an aim to test the level of democracy of Latvian political system.

In an interview with Vesti Segodnya, a political scientist and researcher of the Centre for Public Policy “Providus” Iveta Kazoka states that past referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia brought some benefit to the society. Ms Kazoka believes that from one side, the referendum clearly showed that the society is divided which was a surprise for many ethnic Latvians. But also the referendum showed consolidation of the society because there were no single fight between the residents at the polling stations, which would not be possible, for instance, in Balkan countries if the similar issues would be raised, believes Ms Kazoka.

Diena reports about a draft Riga city integration program elaborated by the Riga City Council. The draft program put emphasis on integration of immigrants or “newcomers” living in Riga.  In contrast to the national programme “National identity, civil society and integration guidelines”, the Riga integration program does not emphasize Latvian language as a basis of integration, but puts accent on the necessity to learn it. Diena (23.08)

• Draft amendments forbidding non-citizens to chair political parties are under elaboration

Chas and Vesti Segodnya report about elaboration of the draft amendments to the Law on Political Parties forbidding non-citizens to chair political parties. It is planned that the draft amendments also will allow the prosecutor to suspend activities of parties. Leader of a party “For Native Language!” Vladimirs Lindermans believes the draft amendments are anti-democratic and are targeting him and his party. As reported, Vladimirs Lindermans and Jevgenijs Osipovs, both being Latvian non-citizens are leaders of recently established political party “For Native Language!”

• Author of a map Aleksandrs Rzhavins is puzzled by statements of the Minister of Defence, who accused him and NGO Russian Society of Latvia in anti-constitutional activities

Vesti Segodnya interviews the author of a map which according to the Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks identifies Nazism and fascism with Europe, while Latvia is presented as Russian, not European territory. Author of the map Aleksandrs Rzhavins is puzzled by statements of the Minister about the map and the Russian Society in Latvia (RSL). Mr Rzhavins does not see any distortion of historical facts in the text which accompanies the map and believes the Minster for some reason wrongly interpreted or translated the text. Mr.Rzhavins also reminded that earlier, Mr.Pabriks in his capacity of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that Turkey shares a common border with Russia. As reported, the Minister Pabriks appealed to the Security Police asking to evaluate whether the map prepared by the member of the RSL incites ethnic hatred and stated the RSL should be closed for its anti-national activities. The map shows 490 WWII memorials and soldiers’ burial places on the territory of Latvia.

• Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks believes that an NGO “Russian Society in Latvia” should be closed
• Publicist Dainis Lemesonoks: non-citizens cannot be classified as Latvian nation

The Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks believes that an NGO “Russian Society in Latvia” should be closed for its anti-national activities. The Minister appealed to the Security Police asking to evaluate a map prepared by the NGO's member which according to Mr Pabriks shows that this NGO is anti-national, anti-European, Russian radical nationalistic and hidden anti-Semitic. The map shows 490 WWII memorials and soldiers’ burialdifferent places on the territory of Latvia. According to Mr Pabriks, the map is accompanied with a text, which identifies nazism and fascism with Europe, while Latvia is presented as Russian, not European territory; national partisans are called not finished Nazis. Mr Pabriks believes this text incites ethnic hatred. Latvijas Avize

A Latvian publicist Dainis Lemesonoks states that non-citizens living in Latvia cannot be classified as Latvian nation, because they do not have political rights. According to Mr Lemesonoks, Latvian nation are all citizens and the state has the right to ask for loyalty towards the state from those who want to become its citizen. Mr Lemesonoks believes non-citizens have possibility to receive Latvian citizenship and it is a question whether they want it. Chas

• Five organisations chosen for projects on children exchange between ethnic minority and ethnic Latvian families
• Society Integration Foundation opened call for tender on Latvian language courses

The Society Integration Foundation has chosen five organisations which will implement projects on children exchange between ethnic minority and ethnic Latvian families. The aim of the projects is to promote children’s and their parents’ comprehension of cultural diversity, to evaluate the importance of cultural traditions, and to understand sense of belonging to the country and nation. It is planned to engage about 100 children in the projects. Latvijas Avize

The Society Integration Foundation opened call for tender on Latvian language courses for adults. The aim of the tender is to raise Latvian language proficiency of Latvian residents whose native language in not Latvian. Diena