• Employees of Russian kindergartens are worried by new language checkups

Employees of Russian kindergartens are worried by new language checkups initiated by “Unity” deputies of Riga city council. The employees passed necessary language exams or received education in Latvian language, yet the checkups represent a “shock” and disrupt work, because the language inspectors come unannounced. Human rights lawyer Elizabeta Krivcova believes that part of the problem is that the law does not provide specific regulation of how the checkups should be conducted and that the language inspectors are focusing on persons’ fluency, not on language usage in official communication and documents. “Unity” deputies link the initiative to the need to promote integration of society.

Employees of Russian kindergartens are worried by new language checkups initiated by Unity deputies of Riga city council. The employees passed necessary language exams or received education in Latvian language, yet the checkups represent a shock and disrupt work, because the language inspectors come unannounced. Human rights lawyer Elizabeta Krivcova believes that part of the problem is that the law does not provide specific regulation of how the checkups should be conducted and that the language inspectors are focusing on persons fluency, not on language usage in official communication and documents. Unity deputies link the initiative to the need to promote integration of society. Vesti Segodnya

• Neatkariga prints an interview with philologist, MP Vineta Porina about positions of Latvian and Russian languages in Latvia
• President appointed Valdis Dombrovskis to the post of the Prime Minister

Neatkariga prints an interview with philologist, MP Vineta Porina (member of the nationalists union) about positions of Latvian and Russian languages in Latvia. Mrs Porina believes that Russian language is self-sufficient in Latvia and a person who is proficient only in Russian can manage to live in this country. Thus, actually, Latvian language does not have status of state language in all Latvian regions. Mrs Porina believes that a norm in the Constitution of Latvia stipulating that Latvian language is the only state language should be invariable. Mrs Porina also believes that it would be more rational to allocate more funding to the state language inspection than to conduct Latvian language courses for teachers of minority schools because teachers had to become proficient in Latvian a long time ago.

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins appointed member of the Unity Valdis Dombrovskis to the post of the Prime Minister of Latvia and entrusted him establishment of the governing coalition. Mr Dombrovskis became the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term.

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins appointed member of the Unity Valdis Dombrovskis to the post of the Prime Minister of Latvia and entrusted him establishment of the governing coalition. Mr Dombrovskis became the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. Diena, Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga

• Telegraf prints an article about Swedish experience and approach to immigration policy

Telegraf prints an article about Swedish experience and approach to immigration policy. According to the article, Sweden is one of the most attractive states for immigrants due to large amount of free vacancies; social benefits; linguistic openness; and perspectives of growth. According to a representative of the Migration Department of the Swedish Ministry of Justice, acceptance of refugees is a humanitarian mission, while, labour immigrants is one of the milestones of the Swedish economy.

• About 2,000 supporters of the Concord Centre hold protest action; the majority of the Parliament did not support Valdis Zatlers as the Speaker
• Vladimirs Lindermans and Jevgenijs Osipovs are planning to establish a new political party aimed at Russian speaking residents

Yesterday, on the first day of the new Saeima’s session, about 2,000 supporters of the Concord Centre took part in the protest action near the Parliament’s building protesting against ethnic discrimination in establishing governing coalition. In the meantime, the President of Latvia Andris Berzins in his speech to the Saeima highlighted that a governing coalition by the Unity, the Zatler’s Reforms Party (ZRP) and the nationalists union is not stabile enough. A test to coalition vitality came later during the session, when the majority of the Saeima did not support nomination of the leader of the ZRP, ex-President Valdis Zatlers to the post of the Saeima’s Speaker. Prior to the voting, the coalition made an agreement on electing Valdis Zatlers to the post of the Saeima’s Speaker.

Yesterday, on the first day of the new Saeimas session, about 2,000 supporters of the Concord Centre took part in the protest action near the Parliaments building protesting against ethnic discrimination in establishing governing coalition. In the meantime, the President of Latvia Andris Berzins in his speech to the Saeima highlighted that a governing coalition by the Unity, the Zatlers Reforms Party (ZRP) and the nationalists union is not stabile enough. A test to coalition vitality came later during the session, when the majority of the Saeima did not support nomination of the leader of the ZRP, ex-President Valdis Zatlers to the post of the Saeimas Speaker. Prior to the voting, the coalition made an agreement on electing Valdis Zatlers to the post of the Saeimas Speaker. Telegraf, Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga

Initiators of the collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language status of official Vladimirs Lindermans and Jevgenijs Osipovs are planning to establish a new political party which would attract Russian speaking voters. Mr Lindermans believes that there is a need for more radical political force, because the Concord Centre proved that despite its soft position, interests of Russian speaking voters are not taken into account anyway.

Initiators of the collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language status of official Vladimirs Lindermans and Jevgenijs Osipovs are planning to establish a new political party which would attract Russian speaking voters. Mr Lindermans believes that there is a need for more radical political force, because the Concord Centre proved that despite its soft position, interests of Russian speaking voters are not taken into account anyway. Vesti Segodnya

• Newspapers report about the formation of ruling coalition; six MP have split from the Zatlers Reforms Party

Newspapers continue to report about the formation process of the new ruling coalition. The leaders of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party, the Unity and All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement agreed on division of the main posts in the new government. In the meantime, six MPs elected to the Parliament on the electoral ticket of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party have split from this party and are going to act as independent MPs. As a result, the number of seats of prospective coalition is reduced to 50 out of 100 seats in the Parliament.

Newspapers continue to report about the formation process of the new ruling coalition. The leaders of the Zatlers Reforms Party, the Unity and All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement agreed on division of the main posts in the new government. In the meantime, six MPs elected to the Parliament on the electoral ticket of the Zatlers Reforms Party have split from this party and are going to act as independent MPs. As a result, the number of seats of prospective coalition is reduced to 50 out of 100 seats in the Parliament. Chas, Diena, NRA, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya