• Organisers of Russian March have appealed in the Administrative Regional Court the decision of the Riga City Council to forbid the march
• Saeima will review draft amendments to the State Language Law prepared by the FHRUL concerning granting official status to ethnic minorities languages
• Member of the nationalistic party All for Latvia! Imants Paradnieks: Russian speaking residents in Latvia are a consequence of occupation
• Vesti Segodnya features an interview with representative of an advertising company which has created discriminating advertising posters
• Latvijas Avize prints opinions of Latvian linguists on situation of state language.
• Concord Centre - the most popular political party in August

NGO Motherland and the Latvian National Democratic Party have appealed in the Administrative Regional Court the decision of the Riga City Council to forbid Russian March on 8 September. As reported, the City Council did not issue permission to the organisers of the event taking into account police recommendations concerning security reasons. The Court has to review the appeal on 4 September. Chas, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA

Chas reports that on 6 September, the Saeima is planning to review draft amendments to the State Language Law prepared by the political party For Human in United Latvia (FHRUL), which stipulate granting official status to ethnic minorities languages in territories inhabited by ethnic minorities in substantial numbers.

A member of the nationalistic party All for Latvia! Imants Paradnieks in an interview with Vesti Segodnya has stated that large number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia is a consequence of occupation of Latvia by the U.S.S.R. Imants Paradnieks has stated we will come to mutual understanding only when Russian speakers will recognise the fact that Latvia was occupied and that they reside here because of the occupation.

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with Andris Zusts, representative of an advertising company Inorek&Grey which has created advertising posters for an enterprise Buvniecibas ABC. As reported, in April, the Centre for the Protection of Consumer Rights has fined Buvniecibas ABC in amount of LVL 5,000 (EUR 7,144) for discriminating advertisement which shows an African man who in broken Latvian says I to want building yours house and the text behind the advertisement says All for construction and repair work but foreign labour force. Andris Zusts believes that the advertisement does not contain any racial insults towards guest workers or black skinned people while scandal around it had political background. However, according to Mr. Zusts, Inorek&Grey after the scandal has decided not to use images of people with not-white skin colour in their advertisements.

Latvijas Avize prints opinions of Latvian linguists on situation of state language. Representative of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis considers that positions of Latvian language could be strengthen by the following steps: legal acts have to set levels of state language proficiency for all workers in service sphere including both private companies and governmental institutions; law has to stipulate obligation for employers to determine language proficiency of employees; law should determine punishment for the refusal to hire someone because he/she is not capable to communicate in Russian, given that at least 50% of those already employed at the enterprise are speaking Russian; and state language proficiency requirements for naturalisation candidates has to be raised.

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by the company "Latvijas fakti" in August, the Concord Centre is the most popular political party – 11.1 % of Latvian citizens would vote for them if the Saeimas elections were held in August. The Union of Greens and Farmers is supported by 10.9% of citizens; the Peoples Party by 10.3%, and the New Era by 7.2 %. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of the respondents. Diena

• New claim against Latvia has been submitted to ECHR
• Riga City Council decides to reorganize the Russian-language Riga Secondary School Nr.17
• Discussion on planned demonstration ‘Russian March
• Managing director of the society Humanitarian Perspective Elizabete Krivcova speaks about the possibilities to promote the naturalisation

Resident of Latvia Ruslan Pankratov has submitted a claim to the European Court of Human Rights. He objects against Latvianisation of his first and last names (adding the ending –s) in his passport.

Resident of Latvia Ruslan Pankratov has submitted a claim to the European Court of Human Rights. He objects against Latvianisation of his first and last names (adding the ending –s) in his passport. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Neatkariga Rita Avize features an article about the decision of the Riga City Council to reorganize the Russian-language Riga Secondary School Nr.17 merging it with the M. Lomonosov Russian-language Secondary School. The newspaper points to the fact that decision has been made only few days before the new school year and could cause problems for the students of the School Nr.17 to start their studies successfully.

Today Riga City Council is planning to make a decision about the authorisation of the so-called ‘Russian March’ planned by the radical Latvian National Democratic Party on 8 September. As reported, the State Security Police suggested refusing of the authorisation of this demonstration due to the possibility of advocating of ideas of ethnic intolerance as well as deliberate encouragement to the confrontation between the representatives of several ethnic groups during this demonstration. While the representatives of the Saeima faction For Human Rights in the United Latvia believe that refusing of the authorisation of this demonstration could be regarded as violation of the Constitution of Latvia. According to FHRUL, the freedom of assembly granted by the Article 103 of the Constitution can not be restricted only on the basis of the current arguments of the State Security Police.

Today Riga City Council is planning to make a decision about the authorisation of the so-called ‘Russian March planned by the radical Latvian National Democratic Party on 8 September. As reported, the State Security Police suggested refusing of the authorisation of this demonstration due to the possibility of advocating of ideas of ethnic intolerance as well as deliberate encouragement to the confrontation between the representatives of several ethnic groups during this demonstration. While the representatives of the Saeima faction For Human Rights in the United Latvia believe that refusing of the authorisation of this demonstration could be regarded as violation of the Constitution of Latvia. According to FHRUL, the freedom of assembly granted by the Article 103 of the Constitution can not be restricted only on the basis of the current arguments of the State Security Police. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas,

Diena prints an article by the managing director of the society Humanitarian Perspective Elizabete Krivcova about the possibilities to promote the naturalisation. The author believes that unwillingness of the non-citizens to naturalise is caused by the longstanding resentment. The author regards the granting of voting rights to the non-citizens at municipal elections as one of the possible instruments changing the attitude of the non-citizens towards the naturalisation process.

• Statement of the Integration Minister regarding repatriation of Latvian emigrants working abroad
• An article about the meeting of Russian compatriots from the Baltic States in Tallinn

Russian-language newspapers report on the statement of the Special Assignments Minister for the Society Integration Oskars Kastens regarding the possible repatriation of the Latvian emigrants working abroad. Referring to the experience of other states, minister foresees that only one third of economic emigrants (i.e., 20,000 out of approximately 60,000 Latvians working abroad) could return to Latvia.

Russian-language newspapers report on the statement of the Special Assignments Minister for the Society Integration Oskars Kastens regarding the possible repatriation of the Latvian emigrants working abroad. Referring to the experience of other states, minister foresees that only one third of economic emigrants (i.e., 20,000 out of approximately 60,000 Latvians working abroad) could return to Latvia. Chas, Telegraf

Telegraf prints an article about the meeting of Russian compatriots from the Baltic States in Tallinn. The main issue discussed during the meeting concerned education possibilities in Russian language in the Baltic States.

• An article on conclusions of the Report on Racism and Xenophobia in the Member States of the EU
• State Security Police suggests to refuse the authorisation of the demonstration ‘Russian March
• Diena reports on publication of new cartoon portraying the Prophet Mohamed in Swedish newspaper
• Diena prints a large article about the implementation of minority education in Estonia

Telegraf features an article about the main conclusions of the Report on Racism and Xenophobia in the Member States of the EU issued by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. According to the report, in 2006 Latvia has been very slow in adopting the necessary legislation in compliance with the Race Equality Directive. The authors of the report also state that ‘the very low number of recorded complaints in some Member States (among them also in Latvia) despite NGO reports and independent research surveys pointing towards the existence of ethnic discrimination in these countries, could indicate a lack of awareness of the existence and functioning of the specialised bodies.

State Security Police has suggested Riga City Council to refuse the authorisation of the demonstration ‘Russian March’ planned by the radical National Democratic Party and the NGO

State Security Police has suggested Riga City Council to refuse the authorisation of the demonstration ‘Russian March planned by the radical National Democratic Party and the NGO Rodina on 8 September. Referring to the previous activities of the organisers of the demonstration, State Security Police concedes the possibility of advocating of ideas of ethnic intolerance as well as deliberate encouragement to the confrontation between the representatives of several ethnic groups during this demonstration. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf

Diena reports on publication of new cartoon portraying the Prophet Mohamed in Swedish newspaper Nerikes Allehanda, which has caused the official protest of the government of Iran as well as the Muslim protests outside the newspapers office. The cartoon in question, by Swedish artist of Latvian origin (as reported by Diena, his grandfather was Latvian) Lars Vilks, depicted Muhammad's head on the body of a dog and was used as an illustration for the leading article of the newspaper discussing the issues concerning the rights to freedom of religion and the rights of artist to express himself without censorial restrictions.

Diena prints a large article about the implementation of minority education in Estonia. According to the spokesman of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research Priit Simson, the implementation of the minority education reform in Estonia promises to be more gradual than in Latvia.

• Articles about the campaign of the State Language Agency (SLA) State language in shops

Newspapers report on the campaign of the State Language Agency (SLA) “State language in shops”, during which the control of the usage Latvian language in shops will be intensified. According to the newspapers, the most frequent violation identified by the SLA during the campaign in Daugavpils district (South-Eastern Latvia) was insufficient usage of Latvian necessary for the fulfilment of salesperson’s duties. Several salespersons and cashiers were fined, while 26 shop managers were issued a warning.  

Newspapers report on the campaign of the State Language Agency (SLA) State language in shops, during which the control of the usage Latvian language in shops will be intensified. According to the newspapers, the most frequent violation identified by the SLA during the campaign in Daugavpils district (South-Eastern Latvia) was insufficient usage of Latvian necessary for the fulfilment of salespersons duties. Several salespersons and cashiers were fined, while 26 shop managers were issued a warning. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya