• Latvijas Avize prints an article about the possible influx of guest workers in Latvia
• Latvijas Vestnesis features several opinions on the draft national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009
• Vesti Segodnya features an article on the pre-election program of the political party The Concord Centre concerning ethnic minority issues

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the possible influx of guest workers to Latvia. According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 1,011 citizens of other countries have been issued official job permits within first six months in 2006. However, the columnist of the newspaper argues that the true number of guest workers is much higher, because a big part of them is working unofficially.

Latvijas Vestnesis features opinions of several experts on the draft national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009 elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. The representative of the Secretariat Deniss Hanovs considers that the elaborated program is a first step towards integration of the Roma into Latvian society. The Chairman of the Talsi (town in the northern part of Latvia) City Council Aivars Lacarus notes that if the program is good, the Roma will take part in it. Besides, Mr. Lacarus states that: „not only Roma have to participate in implementation of the action plan but also all members of society have to learn how to live in harmony with people of other mentalities. However, the head of the Roma Association „Gloss Leons Gindra argues that it will be hard to implement the national program because Romani people do not support it. Mr. Gindra adds that his Association in cooperation with experts has elaborated its own document on improvement of Roma living conditions and this program will be implemented independently.

Vesti Segodnya features an article on the pre-election program of the political party The Concord Centre concerning ethnic minority issues. The main objectives of the party are: granting the status of an official minority language to the Russian language; granting right to vote in municipal election to non-citizens; granting citizenship to all persons who were born in Latvia and simplifying naturalisation process.

• Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009
• The Concord Centre developed a draft law on granting Latvian citizenship automatically to persons who suffered from Nazi and Stalins repressions
• Diena: problem with the lack of labour force in Latvia can be solved without guest workers

Yesterday, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009. The program was elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration in co-operation with Romani NGOs, respective officials and human right experts. The programme focuses on three main areas: employment, education and human rights. The Cabinet of Ministers should adopt the programme as well.

Yesterday, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft national action plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007-2009. The program was elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration in co-operation with Romani NGOs, respective officials and human right experts. The programme focuses on three main areas: employment, education and human rights. The Cabinet of Ministers should adopt the programme as well. Latvijas Avize

The political party “The Concord Centre” has forwarded to the Saeima a draft law which stipulates granting Latvian citizenship automatically to those residents of Latvia who have suffered from Nazi and Stalin’s repressions.

The political party The Concord Centre has forwarded to the Saeima a draft law which stipulates granting Latvian citizenship automatically to those residents of Latvia who have suffered from Nazi and Stalins repressions. Vesti Segodnya

A number of Latvian economists consider that the problem with the lack of labour force in Latvia can be solved without the influx of guest workers. Economists consider that improving efficiency of the local labour force and involving those residents of Latvia who are temporary working outside of the country would solve the issue. 

A number of Latvian economists consider that the problem with the lack of labour force in Latvia can be solved without the influx of guest workers. Economists consider that improving efficiency of the local labour force and involving those residents of Latvia who are temporary working outside of the country would solve the issue.

• Integration Secretariat held a seminar on cooperation with ethnic minority communities
• Newspapers report on a conference Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives

The Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) held a seminar on cooperation with ethnic minority communities. According to the IUMSILS, only those minority organisations that are actively engaged in social and integration activities and are working according to the established norms and rules will be able to receive funding from the Secretariat.

The Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) held a seminar on cooperation with ethnic minority communities. According to the IUMSILS, only those minority organisations that are actively engaged in social and integration activities and are working according to the established norms and rules will be able to receive funding from the Secretariat. Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers report on a conference “Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives” held by the European Russian Alliance on 11 September in Riga. Representative of Latvia in the European Parliament, member of the European Russian Alliance Tatjana Zdanoka in an interview with

Newspapers report on a conference Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives held by the European Russian Alliance on 11 September in Riga. Representative of Latvia in the European Parliament, member of the European Russian Alliance Tatjana Zdanoka in an interview with Telegraf stated that participants of the conference discussed possibilities to establish cultural autonomy of Russians in Latvia and Estonia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

• Conference Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives"
• Somalians find a new place of residency

The representatives of Russian communities from 20 European countries took part in a conference “Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives” held by the European Russian Alliance on 11 September in Riga. The main theme of the conference was a situation of Russian communities in the Baltic States after the ratification of the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities.

The representatives of Russian communities from 20 European countries took part in a conference Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities: Experience and Perspectives held by the European Russian Alliance on 11 September in Riga. The main theme of the conference was a situation of Russian communities in the Baltic States after the ratification of the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities. Chas

Latvijas Avize reports that the seven Somalians, who recently have been granted the alternative status in Latvia, have moved to a new place of residency because of the owner of the real estate Veczvannenieki, rented by an NGO that accommodated the Somalians there, claimed that the NGO has breached the rent agreement by accommodating the Somalians and demanded to evict them from his real estate.

• Information booklets in Russian will be replaced by a sign that this information is available on a request
• Representative of the Integration Secretariat Irina Vinnika on state financial support for ethnic minority NGOs
• Nazi symbols appear on the walls of buildings in Riga

The Welfare Department of the Riga City Council has issued a decree which stipulates that booklets and information materials about rights to receive social services and social aid in Russian will be replaced by a sign in Russian and Latvian that this type of information might be provided on a request.

The Welfare Department of the Riga City Council has issued a decree which stipulates that booklets and information materials about rights to receive social services and social aid in Russian will be replaced by a sign in Russian and Latvian that this type of information might be provided on a request. Chas

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the representative of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) Irina Vinnika on possibilities to receive financial support for ethnic minority NGOs. Irina Vinnika stated that all NGOs registered in the Secretariat can submit an application to receive the state funding for realisation of their projects.

Telegraf reports on appearance of nazi symbols on the walls of buildings in Riga. A representative of police stated that at the moment they do not have any evidences that they have been drawn by extremists.