• National Union: local deputies should improve their language skills at their own expenses

Latvijas Avize reports that according to the State Language Centre, the number of local governments’ deputies with insufficient state (Latvian) language proficiency has grown. According to the newspaper, at least six municipal deputies (four of them are from Daugavpils) have insufficient state language proficiency. The effective legal regulation provides for the highest level of the state language proficiency for the deputies. The local government can cover the expenses for state language courses if the deputy’s language skills are lower than required. However, the members of the National Union recently proposed to set a requirement that the deputies should improve their language skills at their own expenses. 

• Co-chair of the Latvian Greens’ Party compared the current migration crisis with “entering of invasive species”

Co-chair of the Latvian Greens’ Party Viesturs Silenieks speaking at the party’s congress about current migration crisis compared it with “entering of invasive species that don’t have natural enemies.” According to Silinieks, European cultural values make Europe unprotected with regard to refugee flows, but such “global diseases” make us to prepare ourselves for changes. “It is important to distinguish tolerance from abuse and terrorism”, said politician. Latvijas Avize

• Latvia suspended rebroadcasting of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossiya RTR” in Latvia for six months

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media (NCEMM) suspended rebroadcasting of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossiya RTR” in Latvia for six months due to repeated violations of the Law on Electronic Mass Media and the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The NCEMM found that some broadcasts of the channel incite to hatred and call for war or military conflicts. The channel was banned also in 2014 for three months due to the war propaganda. Lsm.lv

• Government has postponed review of the draft amendments on the requirements of the state language proficiency for NGOs’ board members

The government has postponed review of the draft amendments to the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers concerning the requirements of the state language proficiency for board members of non-governmental organisations. According to the draft amendments, which were proposed by the Ministry of Justice, the board members of associations and foundations should have the highest level of state language proficiency. The Ministry of Justice argues that such amendments are necessary, as in certain situations NGOs ensure public administration tasks and receive funding from state or municipality. The Ministry also believes that some associations carry out economic activities, such as management of residential houses; inability of board members of such associations to speak Latvian would limit linguistic rights of other persons. Vesti Segodnya

• State Language Centre requested the Riga Custody Court to remove a job announcement in Russian

The Riga Custody Court removed a job announcement in Russian from the Russian language version of the online job advertisements portal after the reproach made by the State Language Centre (SLC). The job announcements were published in Latvian and Russian. According to the SLC, the Custody Court will not be fined for publishing the announcement in a foreign language, as it was quickly removed. News agency LETA