Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Information on the status of non-citizens after Latvias EU membership
• Heads of four Saeima Committees complain about the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request for permission to hold a public meeting on September 4th
• Leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee about the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination expert recommendations for Latvia

In the special column before the EU referendum the newspaper

In the special column before the EU referendum the newspaper Diena provides reply to the question what will happen with non-citizens after Latvias EU membership. The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks explains that non-citizens will not automatically obtain the status of citizens and they will not have the right to vote. According to the EU directive on citizens of third states the non-citizens will have the status of the third state citizens residing in the EU country for a long term. People who reside in a country for five years period, who have legal income and health insurance will obtain the status of permanent resident. Registering as long-term residents these individuals will have the right to free movement, right to work, social insurance and education. To travel within the EU non-citizens will have to obtain visas except for those countries that have signed agreements allowing non-visa regime (currently Estonia, Lithuania and Denmark).

Lauku Avize features comments by Ina Druviete, the Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee, Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee, Inese Vaidere, the Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee and Anta Rugate, the Head of the Saeima Committee on Citizenship Law, who all consider that Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has not provided replies to their questions about the Secretariats work.

The Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request to the Riga City Council to allow the meeting on September 4th near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis. Taking into account the objections to the first request, which was denied, the Association informed that there will be fewer participants and that organisers will install a fence that will bar the participants from getting close closer than 50 metres to the Prosecutor’s General building.

The Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request to the Riga City Council to allow the meeting on September 4th near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis. Taking into account the objections to the first request, which was denied, the Association informed that there will be fewer participants and that organisers will install a fence that will bar the participants from getting close closer than 50 metres to the Prosecutors General building. Lauku Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

During a press conference the leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs informed about the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination experts recommendations for Latvia. According to Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs experts recommend to reduce the list of professions that are available only for citizens, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia, and to postpone the education reform.

During a press conference the leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs informed about the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination experts recommendations for Latvia. According to Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs experts recommend to reduce the list of professions that are available only for citizens, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia, and to postpone the education reform. Chas, Telegraf

 

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Court dismissed the case against Riga City Council decision to refuse the protest meeting on September 4th
• Valery Ageshin, MP of Peoples Solidarity Party, on integration issues
• Interview with Rafi Haradzajan, the Head of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies

Riga North district court dismissed the case asking to cancel the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the protest meeting at the monument to the Latvian poet Janis Rainis on  September 4th. The member of the Riga City Council Genady Kotov who had submitted the case, said that the court’s decision will be re-appealed. He announced that if the agreement will not be reached the protest meeting will be organised as “a meeting of members of parliament with the electorate”. The Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform presumably will discuss other possible meeting locations proposed by the Riga City council.

Riga North district court dismissed the case asking to cancel the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the protest meeting at the monument to the Latvian poet Janis Rainis onSeptember 4th. The member of the Riga City Council Genady Kotov who had submitted the case, said that the courts decision will be re-appealed. He announced that if the agreement will not be reached the protest meeting will be organised as a meeting of members of parliament with the electorate. The Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform presumably will discuss other possible meeting locations proposed by the Riga City council. Diena, Lauku Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Vechernaya Riga

Chas features an article by Valery Ageshin, MP of Peoples Solidarity Party, about the integration issues. He believes that Latvian development will be slow down if the alienation between Latvian speaking and Russian speaking communities continues. He stresses that there are some indicators of societal integration in Latvia: majority of population considers Latvia their motherland, there is united legislation, constitution, state institutions, two languages command, high numbers of mixed marriages, shared social problems, shared holidays such as New Year and Ligo, which are celebrated by the whole society, shared cultural events. Valery Ageshin considers integration among the youth the most successful.

Rigas Balss features an interview with Rafi Haradzajan, the Head of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies about the activities of the Association, the problems of societal integration and the conflict with the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.

 

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools will not participate in the unapproved protest meeting against education reform
• Two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe

The Head of the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools Igor Pimenov announced that the Association is not planning to support the unapproved protest meeting organised by the Headquarters for the protection of Russian Schools on 4th of September near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis. In case the court will not cancel the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the protest meeting on 4th of September, the Association will resubmit a request to the Riga City Council to allow a meeting, taking into account the objections to the first request.

The Head of the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools Igor Pimenov announced that the Association is not planning to support the unapproved protest meeting organised by the Headquarters for the protection of Russian Schools on 4th of September near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis. In case the court will not cancel the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the protest meeting on 4th of September, the Association will resubmit a request to the Riga City Council to allow a meeting, taking into account the objections to the first request. Diena, Telegraf, Vesti Segondya

Russian-language newspapers report on the two-day conference “Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe” organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. During the conference Boris Tsilevich, MP of People’s Solidarity Party and Sergei Dolgopolov, the vice-mayor of the Riga City Council, presented their opinions about the negative and positive aspects of Latvia’s EU membership.

Russian-language newspapers report on the two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. During the conference Boris Tsilevich, MP of Peoples Solidarity Party and Sergei Dolgopolov, the vice-mayor of the Riga City Council, presented their opinions about the negative and positive aspects of Latvias EU membership. Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

 

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Visit of Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs of Estonia in Latvia
• UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published recommendations for Latvian government

The Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Paul-Erik Rummo, is visiting Latvia. He will meet with the Special Taks Minister for Societal Integration, Nils Muiznieks, the Head of the Naturalisation Board, Eizenija Aldermane and the Special Task Minister for Family and Children issues, Ainars Bastiks.

The Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Paul-Erik Rummo, is visiting Latvia. He will meet with the Special Taks Minister for Societal Integration, Nils Muiznieks, the Head of the Naturalisation Board, Eizenija Aldermane and the Special Task Minister for Family and Children issues, Ainars Bastiks. Chas

Russian-language newspapers report that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has published recommendations for the Latvian government. The Committee experts are reported to recommend taking necessary measures in order to increase the pace of naturalisation, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia. The experts are allegedly concerned about possible discrimination of national minorities regarding language norms and the employment.

Russian-language newspapers report that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has published recommendations for the Latvian government. The Committee experts are reported to recommend taking necessary measures in order to increase the pace of naturalisation, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia. The experts are allegedly concerned about possible discrimination of national minorities regarding language norms and the employment. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

 

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, Juris Dobelis, the MP FF/LNNK and Dr Anita Jakobsone discuss integration issues
• Protest meeting For the free choice of language of education will take place on 4th of September
• Comments about the administration of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies
• Human rights activist plans to complain to the European Human Rights Court about the writing of his family name in the passport

Rigas Balss features a discussion on integration issues among Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, Juris Dobelis, the MP FF/LNNK and Dr Anita Jakobsone. Nils Muiznieks said that there are many integration problems to solve in Latvia and that by creating the Special Task Ministers office for Societal Integration the government decided that social integration is one of its priorities. Juris Dobelis stresses the need to strengthen the positions of Latvian language. He explains that there were serious discussions in the FF/LNNK faction before the vote about Nils Muiznieks candidature for the position of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. Regarding the criticism about the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, Dr Anita Jakobsone stresses that there are no precisely defined criteria to evaluate the necessity of this new institution. Juris Dobelis announces that before the referendum about the Latvias EU membership the FF/LNNK faction will not request the ministers resignation.

The Headquarters of the Opponents to the education reform will organise a protest meeting “For the free choice of language of education” near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis on 4th of September.

The Headquarters of the Opponents to the education reform will organise a protest meeting For the free choice of language of education near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis on 4th of September. Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Chas features the comments of Irina Vinnika, the Head of the department of national minorities of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, and Rafi Haradzajan, the Head of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies (LANCS), about the governments decision that the state budget grants for LANCS will be administered and controlled by the Ministry of Culture and not by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Leonid Raihman, one of the founders of the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee and currently the representative of the Open Society Institute in Budapest plans to complain to the European Human Rights Court about the fact that his family name in the passport is not written in its original form Raihman, but Raihmans.