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

• Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party
• Article by the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration about integration
• Two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party. The chairman of the Board of the Latvian First Party Ainars Slesers said that the party will take full responsibility about the integration policy implemented by Nils Muiznieks.

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party. The chairman of the Board of the Latvian First Party Ainars Slesers said that the party will take full responsibility about the integration policy implemented by Nils Muiznieks. Diena, Telegraf

Lauku Avize features an article by Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. The Minister replies to the criticism about his work. He stresses that the opinions about integration are very different. Nils Muiznieks explains that he is open for cooperation regarding the implementation of the education reform. He believes that it is necessary to maintain the dialogue with the opponents of the education reform. Regarding the criticism about the number of employees and the budget of the Secretariat, he stresses that the Secretariats budget for nine month in 2003 was 286 018 LVL and that state institutions never before had had such a small budget. He stresses that all employees of the Secretariat were appointed as a result of competition. The Minister explains that the ideology of his Secretariat is based on the governments declaration, the Society Integration programme, international human rights standards and the Constitution, which state that the Latvian is the only state language. In the conclusion Nils Muiznieks states that it is impossible to change resentment, alienation, passivity, fear about the loosing of identity and the language usage in such a short time. According to Nils Muiznieks social integration is a long process to strengthen the cooperation, the participation, the position of the Latvian language as the only state language and the feeling of affiliation to Latvia.

The two-day conference “Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe” will be organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. with financial assistance of the Danish embassy about the future of Russian speaking minority after Latvia’s EU membership.

The two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe will be organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. with financial assistance of the Danish embassy about the future of Russian speaking minority after Latvias EU membership. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

 

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

• Latvian First Party will defend the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies will be supervised by the Ministry of Culture
• Article by Dr Dzintra Hirsa about integration issues
• Opponents to the education reform filed a court case against the Riga City Council
• Article about the first study on the situation of Roma in Latvia

The Board of the Latvian First Party plans to evaluate the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. The Minister was nominated by the Latvian First Party. The Chairman of the Board Ainars Slesers informed that the Party will defend the Minister if there will be requests for the minister’s resignation. He admitted that Nils Muiznieks could become member of the Latvian First Party.

The Board of the Latvian First Party plans to evaluate the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. The Minister was nominated by the Latvian First Party. The Chairman of the Board Ainars Slesers informed that the Party will defend the Minister if there will be requests for the ministers resignation. He admitted that Nils Muiznieks could become member of the Latvian First Party. Diena

The government adopted the decision that the state budget grants for Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies (LANCS) will be administered and controlled by the Ministry of Culture and not by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration as it was before. Four Ministers of the Latvian First Party voted against this decision. Aleksandrs Brandavs, the vice-chairman of the Latvian First Party and the advisor of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration informed that the Party will discuss about further cooperation with other coalition members but that it doesn’t mean that the Party will quit the coalition. Nils Muiznieks announced that the decision is a bad example because compared to other NGOs the LANCS will be in a privileged status.

The government adopted the decision that the state budget grants for Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies (LANCS) will be administered and controlled by the Ministry of Culture and not by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration as it was before. Four Ministers of the Latvian First Party voted against this decision. Aleksandrs Brandavs, the vice-chairman of the Latvian First Party and the advisor of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration informed that the Party will discuss about further cooperation with other coalition members but that it doesnt mean that the Party will quit the coalition. Nils Muiznieks announced that the decision is a bad example because compared to other NGOs the LANCS will be in a privileged status. Diena, Neatkariga, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Lauku Avize features an article by Dr Dzintra Hirsa about integration issues. She criticises the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. According to Dzintra Hirsa the employees of the Secretariat are not experts on ethnopolitics and therefore are not able to implement qualitative ethnic policy in Latvia. She criticises the minister for the concentration of administration of the integration institutions in one hand.

The Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform filed a court case against the Riga City Council after the refusal to allow a protest meeting on 4th of September near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis. The Headquarter activists announced that in spite of the denial to organise the meeting it will take place as “a meeting of members of parliament with the electorate”.

The Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform filed a court case against the Riga City Council after the refusal to allow a protest meeting on 4th of September near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis. The Headquarter activists announced that in spite of the denial to organise the meeting it will take place as a meeting of members of parliament with the electorate. Lauku Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Vechernaya Riga

The public policy portal

The public policy portal www.politika.lv features an article by Dace Lukumiete and Signe Martisune, the researchers of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, about the principal conclusions of the first study on the situation of Roma in Latvia.The article in Latvian is available here.

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

• Meeting of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration with the FF/LNNK Saeima faction
• Criticism of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Interview with Dainis Ivans about the denial to organise a public meeting near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis
• Amendments to the Law on Professional Education Institutions

After the meeting with Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, the Head of the FF/LNNK Saeima faction Maris Grinblats informed that the party considers that it is necessary to continue the discussion about the abolition of the Minister’s office in order to reduce the budget, nevertheless the FF/LNNK will not ask for Minister’s resignation. Nils Muiznieks informed that in spite of criticism about his work he will not resign. Lauku Avize, Neatkariga, Telegraf, Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

After the meeting with Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, the Head of the FF/LNNK Saeima faction Maris Grinblats informed that the party considers that it is necessary to continue the discussion about the abolition of the Ministers office in order to reduce the budget, nevertheless the FF/LNNK will not ask for Ministers resignation. Nils Muiznieks informed that in spite of criticism about his work he will not resign. Lauku Avize, Neatkariga, Telegraf, Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Lauku Avize columnist Voldemars Krustins criticises the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. He considers that the process of integration has to continue with a more concrete programme to consolidate Latvias society.

Lauku Avize reports about the critical statements regarding the rights of national minorities in Latvia made by Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs, members of the left-wing political party Solidarity, during the meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva.

Lauku Avize features an interview with Dainis Ivans, the Head of the Riga City Council Committee of Culture and the chairperson of the Latvian Social Democratic party, in which he discusses the official refusal to allow a public meeting against the education reform near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis.

The government adopted amendments to the Law on Professional Education Institutions stipulating that the education reform language norms will apply to these institutions.

The government adopted amendments to the Law on Professional Education Institutions stipulating that the education reform language norms will apply to these institutions. Vechernaya Riga

 

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

• Special Task Minister for Societal Integration about integration
• First study on the situation of Roma in Latvia
• Head of the Constitution Protection Office about NATO and non-citizens
• Competition of caricatures and slogans against the education reform

Diena features an article by Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. The Minister reports about the cooperation between the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration and the Ministry of Education and Science regarding the education reform. Nils Muiznieks stresses the development of the dialogue between the government and national minorities through media round tables, creation of the advisory council and through participation at various minority NGOs events. He reports that he is an active participant in the discussions about the tax legislation related to philanthropy and the NGO sector. The Secretariat has elaborated a concept for the development of civil society and is allocating the funding for the activities of the national minority organisations. In order to strengthen anti-discrimination norms and to educate society and officials about the elimination of discrimination the Secretariat organised a conference and published an informative booklet about these issues. Muiznieks provides information about the reorganisation of the programme Livs in Latvia. After visiting Latvian settlements in Siberia the minister concludes that Latvia has to take greater responsibility regarding the development of Latvian culture and language abroad.

Neatkariga features an article about the first study on the situation of Roma in Latvia conducted by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies. The newspaper informs about the principal conclusion presented in the study: the racism and discrimination against Roma are widespread in Latvian society, more than 40% of Roma have fourth grade or lower education, and many are illiterate, that the number of Roma who are involved in official employment does not exceed 5%. The newspaper informs that Normunds Rudevics, the President of the Cultural Association of Latvian Roma, criticises that money allocated for the study should be used instead for the improvement of Roma living conditions.

Telegraf reports on statements of Janis Kazocins, the Head of the Constitution Protection Office, who points out that NATO officials are concerned about candidate countries security risks. He expresses concern regarding the large number of non-citizens living in Latvia and the potential risk of information leaks to third countries.

The Headquarter of the Opponents against the education reform organised a competition of caricatures and slogans against the education reform. 

The Headquarter of the Opponents against the education reform organised a competition of caricatures and slogans against the education reform. Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

 

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

• Latvian Television editor Ilmars Latkovskis about integration issues
• Neatkarigas supplement Mes about Nils Muiznieks
• Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform will file a court case against the Riga City Council
• Meetings of Headquarter of the Opponents to education reform with parents of school children in seven Riga districts
• Criticism towards the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration

Diena features an article by Ilmars Latkovskis, the editor of Latvian Television, about integration issues in Latvia. The author believes that the process of integration is not developing because there is no agreement about the goals. He stresses the gap between two concepts of integration: the idea of assimilation of Russian-speaking minority and the belief that the rights of Russian-speakers should be better guaranteed in Latvia.

Neatkarigas supplement Mes features an article about Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. Anhelita Kamenska, the programme director of the public policy centre Providus, Eizenija Aldermene, the Head of the Naturalisation Board and the journalist Daina Jankalne provide their positive opinions about the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.

After the denial to organise a public meeting against the education reform on 4th of September the Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform has announced plans to file a court case against the Riga City Council. Chas

After the denial to organise a public meeting against the education reform on 4th of September the Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform has announced plans to file a court case against the Riga City Council. Chas

Vesti Segodnya reports about meetings of representatives of Headquarter of the Opponents to the education reform with parents of school children in seven Riga districts.

Lauku Avizes columnist Maris Antonevics criticises the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration for employing Aleksei Dimitrov, the former executive secretary of the Latvian Human Rights Committee.