• Saeima’s European Affairs Committee approved the government’s position on accommodation of 776 asylum seekers in Latvia
• NGO "Memorial of Žanis Lipke" organises series of lectures about old phobias and their impact on modern Latvian society
• Security Police presented a report on possible risks concerning accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

The Saeima’s European Affairs Committee approved the government’s position on accommodation of 776 asylum seekers in Latvia. The Committee had to meet twice to approve the position because the first session of the Committee was interrupted due to the lack of quorum as representatives of the governing coalition parties from the National Union and the Union of Greens and Farmers left the session. The quorum was reached following the second call for session few hours later and thus the second meeting of the Committee approved the position. The position was supported by the votes of the representatives of the governing coalition party the Unity and the oppositional parties the Concordand Latvia’s Reforms Party. Tomorrow, on 22 September, the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis will present the Latvia’s position at the meeting of the Council of the European Union Justice and Home Affairs ministers.  Latvijas Avize, Diena, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports about a public lecture by a historian Kaspars Zellis about the historical perspective of racism inLatvia andEurope.  The lecture was organised by an NGO "Memorial of Žanis Lipke" in the framework of the series of lectures about old phobias and their impact on modern Latvian society. The first lecture was about the usage of dehumanizing metaphors talking about arrival of refugees toEurope. Other lectures are planned, including topics on Islamophobia and Homophobia.

At the session of the Saeima’s National Security Committee, the Security Police (SP) presented its report on the possible risks concerning accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. According to the SP, the two main risks concern arrival of radically minded persons together with asylum seekers and radicalisation of asylum seekers who might face integration problems in Latvia. The way to avoid these risks is to ensure comprehensive check of arriving persons and implementation of effective integration measures. Vesti Segodnya

• Cabinet of Ministers approved accommodation of 776 asylum seekers in Latvia
• State Language Centre will not punish the State Audit Office for translation of the audit report of a municipal enterprise into Russian language

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the position on accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. The position was prepared by the Ministry of Interior. According to it, Latvia agrees to accept 526 asylum seekers in addition to 250 persons it agreed to accept earlier. The position says that Latvia agrees to voluntary redistribution of asylum seekers across the EU member states. The position was supported by all the ministers of the Unity and the Union of Greens and Farmers except the Minister of Health Gunars Belevics who voted against it together with the ministers of the National Union. Further the position has to be approved by the Saeima’s European Affairs Committee. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Ilze Petersone-Godmane in an interview with Latvijas Avize said that the working group on accommodation of asylum seekers has outlined the desired profile of persons the state would like to receive – families with children; persons proficient at least in one foreign language such as English, French or German; persons with education; and Christians. Mrs Petersone-Godmane stressed that these are preferable characteristics and it will not be possible to include such discriminatory characteristic as religious affiliation in the official documentation. She also said that before sending asylum seekers to Latvia they will be asked whether they want to move here. Latvijas Avize, Diena, Neatkariga

The State Language Centre will not punish the State Audit Office for translation of the audit report of a municipal enterprise “Riga House Manager” into Russian language. The Head of the State Audit Office Elita Krumina explained that the decision to translate the report into Russian language was taken due to high interest of Russian speaking residents towards it, the ethnic structure of Riga, and the fact that the report affects large range of clients. The SLC approved that the state institutions can translate its information upon requests from residents. Moreover, the State Audit Office is required to inform the society about the activities of national and municipal institutions. Latvijas Avize

• Head of the Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee Ilmars Latkovskis: Latvia wants to accept Christian refugees first
• Saeima’s Legal Committee supported the draft law on restitution of Jewish properties
• Weekly IR interviews the first refugee who received Latvian citizenship

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee discussed accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. Head of the Committee Ilmars Latkovskis proposed a resolution according to which Latvia wants to accept Christian refugees first. However, the MPs did not reach agreement on it and the text of the resolution was forwarded to the Saeima’s factions. Vesti Segodnya

The Saeima’s Legal Committee supported the draft law on restitution of Jewish properties. According to it, the state will return the Council of Jewish Congregations and Communities in Latviafive buildings which belonged to Jewish religious and public organisations before the WWII.  The discussions on restitution of Jewish properties have been taking place for several years without any outcome yet. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Weekly IR interviews the first refugee who received Latvian citizenship. The man arrived toLatvia in 1991 as a student but later his Palestinian refugee passport issued in Egypt became invalid. In 1998 he applied for asylum in Latvia, and in 2004 he was granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. He asserts he feels like Latvian and loves the state; however, since 2005 he resides with his Latvian wife and child in the United Kingdom.  He believes that the majority of asylum seekers who will arrive will not stay in Latvia due to the lack of integration system. He also says that the asylum seekers should be viewed as a resource for the state and this resource can benefit the society.  

• Newspapers continue to report on issues concerning planned accommodation of asylum seekers

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented to the government an information report on the consequences of Latvia if the country will not support the reception of asylum seekers. The President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis, in his turn, conducted discussions with the Parliamentary factions about accommodation of asylum seekers. The President will present his position on this issue today. Preparing for accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia, the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office announced vacancies for new staff members in the Asylum Department. Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

• Latvian national report for UN UPR: number of non-citizens in Latvia has decreased 2,3 times during past 20 years
• Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma decided to communicate with local mass media in Latvian language only
• Governing coalition has not reached common agreement about accommodation of additional number of asylum seekers
• Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma: benefits for refugees should be recalculated
• Diena interviews a Latvian citizen of Syrian origin

According to the Latvian national report on human rights situation in Latvia prepared for the UN Universal Periodic Review, the number of non-citizens in Latvia has decreased 2,3 times during past 20 years – from 730,000 down to 262,622 (or from 29% to 12,2% of the total population). The biggest proportion of citizens – 99% is among new born because 82,3% of parents non-citizens  choose to register their children as citizens. 38,688 persons attended Latvian language courses during past 5 years. 77% of ethnic non-Latvians evaluate their state language proficiency level as good (compared to 49% in 1996.) There are 109 schools with bilingual education programme. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma decided to communicate with representatives of local mass media in Latvian language only. According to a representative of the Prime Minister, such decision has been made due to insufficient Russian language proficiency. Up to this day, Mrs Straujuma did communicate with local Russian language mass media in Russian language. As reported, some other high state officials also refuse to communicate with journalists in Russian.

The Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis will not attend the meeting of the Council of the European Union Justice and Home Affairs ministers because the governing coalition has not reached common agreement about accommodation of 526 asylum seekers additionally as proposed by the European Commission. Members of the political party Unity supported the Commission’s proposal. The National Union and the Union of Greens and Farmers objected to the proposal and called to make sure that Latvia is granted an exception due to large number of stateless persons (Latvian non-citizens) and to evaluate the security risks connected with influx of asylum seekers.  The Unity, in its turn, stressed that Latvia might stay in isolation due to its unwillingness to accept refugees. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize reports about a public discussion between residents of one of the Latvian Eastern regions and the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma on reduction of poverty and inequality in rural areas. Almost half of the discussion was dedicated to issues concerning accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. Residents expressed their concerns connected with religious affiliation of asylum seekers, size of their families, number of wives, threats to state language, culture and national security, and increase of unemployment. Mrs Straujuma said that Latvia should express its solidarity with the EU and accommodate asylum seekers. At the same time, she agreed that the amount of benefit paid to refugees is too high (256 EUR per month for one year) and should to recalculated. She also promised to amend the legal acts obliging all refugees to learn Latvian language. The Prime Minister also did not exclude that in future Latvia also might build a fence along its external border.

Diena interviews a Latvian resident of Syrian origin who has lived in Latvia for several years and became Latvian citizen through naturalisation process. According to him, refugees from Syria are seeking for a secure state where they would also have opportunities to find a job. He believes that the number of asylum seekers Latvia has to accommodate is too small to endanger the society by its cultural differences. He also stressed that special attention should be paid towards Latvian language courses for refugees as it is a key aspect for successful integration.