• State Security Police initiates a second criminal case for incitement to ethnic hatred against two journalists
• FHRUL prepares amendments which will provide automatic grant of Latvian citizenship to all non-citizens of Latvia

At the end of July the State Security Police initiated a second criminal case against the two journalists of the national radical newspaper

At the end of July the State Security Police initiated a second criminal case against the two journalists of the national radical newspaper DDD for incitement to ethnic hatred in its publications. On the request of the chairman of the Russian National Culture Society Genadijs Stobovs, the Security Police examined several articles, published by the DDD. In these articles Russians were called ‘cells of cancer, ‘occupants and ‘external enemies of Latvia. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf

Chas prints an article by the MP Vladimirs Buzajevs (parliamentary group of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia) about naturalisation process in Latvia. According to Vladimirs Buzajevs, the parliamentary group develops amendments which will provide the automatic grant of Latvian citizenship to all non-citizens.

• Interview with the Head of the International Migration Organisations (IOM) Bureau in Latvia Ilmars Mezs

Telegraf prints an interview with the Head of the International Migration Organisations (IOM) Bureau in Latvia Ilmars Mezs about tendencies in migration in Latvia. Ilmars Mezs states that at the moment approximately 35,000 permanent residents of Latvia live outside Latvia, while another 10,000 – 20,000 persons may leave the state in the future. The Head of the IOMs bureau foresees that Latvia will have to import labour force from other countries. However, he does not predict a mass influx of illegal immigrants in Latvia in the near future.

• Court issues a verbal note to two young men for chasing a dark-skin person
• Government amends the provisions on the procedures of the acquisition of Latvian citizenship to children under the age of 15
• Rigas Balss: no protest actions against the minority education reform is planned in Riga on 1 September
• Representatives of the State Boarder Guards concerned about lack of resources for illegal immigrants

Yesterday the Riga Central Court issued a verbal note of reprimand to two young men who chased a dark skin man along the streets of the Riga Old Town in June. Just after the incident the Police drew up the protocol for hooliganism. Although the Administrative Violation Code foresees a penalty of LVL 25 – 50 (EUR 35,5 – 71) or an administrative arrest up to 15 days for the violation mentioned in the protocol, the Court decided to issue only the note of reprimand because both men admitted to be guilty.

Yesterday the Riga Central Court issued a verbal note of reprimand to two young men who chased a dark skin man along the streets of the Riga Old Town in June. Just after the incident the Police drew up the protocol for hooliganism. Although the Administrative Violation Code foresees a penalty of LVL 25 – 50 (EUR35,5 – 71) or an administrative arrest up to 15 days for the violation mentioned in the protocol, the Court decided to issue only the note of reprimand because both men admitted to be guilty. Diena

Yesterday the government amended the rules on the procedures of the acquisition of Latvian citizenship to children under the age of 15 of recently naturalised persons. The amendments provide that parents may apply for the registration of their child as a Latvian citizen also during and after naturalisation of at least one parent. The former provisions stipulated that the application about the registration of the child can be submitted only when a parent himself applies for naturalisation.

Yesterday the government amended the rules on the procedures of the acquisition of Latvian citizenship to children under the age of 15 of recently naturalised persons. The amendments provide that parents may apply for the registration of their child as a Latvian citizen also during and after naturalisation of at least one parent. The former provisions stipulated that the application about the registration of the child can be submitted only when a parent himself applies for naturalisation. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf

‘We do not plan to organise new protest actions against the minority education reform in Riga on 1 September 2005,’ confirmed the Chair of the Board of the Latvian Association for the Support of the Russian-Language Schools Igors Pimenovs. At the same time Pimenovs states that they will continue to fight for keeping the Russian language in Russian schools. The Chair of the Board stresses that it is necessary to improve the minority education programmes.

‘We do not plan to organise new protest actions against the minority education reform in Riga on 1 September 2005, confirmed the Chair of the Board of the Latvian Association for the Support of the Russian-Language Schools Igors Pimenovs. At the same time Pimenovs states that they will continue to fight for keeping the Russian language in Russian schools. The Chair of the Board stresses that it is necessary to improve the minority education programmes. Rigas Balss

Representatives of the State Boarder Guards are concerned about the lack of material resources which limit their possibilities to provide the recently detained seven illegal immigrants from Somalia with warm clothes if they stay in the Olaine refugee camp also in the fall and winter.

Representatives of the State Boarder Guards are concerned about the lack of material resources which limit their possibilities to provide the recently detained seven illegal immigrants from Somalia with warm clothes if they stay in the Olaine refugee camp also in the fall and winter. Neatkariga Rita Avize

• Draft amendments to the Citizenship Law will be reviewed by the government next week
• Riga Bureau of the European Students Forum will study views of Russians about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia
• Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools reports on the youth summer camp in Luznava

Next week the Cabinet of Ministers will review draft amendments to the Citizenship Law.

Next week the Cabinet of Ministers will review draft amendments to the Citizenship Law. Vesti Segodnya states that the inclusion of the loyalty criteria will politicise naturalisation because that would allow politicians to choose who is entitled to naturalisation and who is not. The newspaper believes that if the draft amendments are adopted naturalisation would slow down. Vesti Segodnya

Members of the Riga Bureau of the European Students Forum will conduct an opinion poll in Moscow to study views of Russians (in particular, young people) about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Representatives of the forum will also study the impact of the Russian mass media and Russian politicians on views of broader public about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia.

Members of the Riga Bureau of the European Students Forum will conduct an opinion poll in Moscow to study views of Russians (in particular, young people) about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Representatives of the forum will also study the impact of the Russian mass media and Russian politicians on views of broader public about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools held a press conference to report about the youth summer camp which took place in Luznava (the parish in the Eastern part of Latvia). Although the main goal of the organisers of the press conference was to focus on ‘illegitimate activities of the State Security Police,’ journalists were more interested in their comments on the advertisement clips about the summer camp. The clips are rather aggressive and even include the scenes of violence against minors.

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools held a press conference to report about the youth summer camp which took place in Luznava (the parish in the Eastern part of Latvia). Although the main goal of the organisers of the press conference was to focus on ‘illegitimate activities of the State Security Police, journalists were more interested in their comments on the advertisement clips about the summer camp. The clips are rather aggressive and even include the scenes of violence against minors. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

• Red Cross: illegal immigrants from Somalia may not be informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia
• Telegraf develops a discussion on loyalty concept
• Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools calls Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks to establish the Russian School and the Centre for Culture in Riga
• Chair of the Russian Centre for International Research and Cultural Collaboration under the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Eleonora Mitrofanova talks about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia

Members of the Latvian Red Cross express their doubts whether seven illegal immigrants are informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia. Representatives of the State Boarder Guard Forces, however, have not provided their comments on the issue.

Members of the Latvian Red Cross express their doubts whether seven illegal immigrants are informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia. Representatives of the State Boarder Guard Forces, however, have not provided their comments on the issue. Diena points out that the Immigration Law does not provide that boarder guards should explain illegal immigrants their rights. The lawyer of the Latvian National Human Rights Office Liga Biksiniece states that the Office will examine the case if there is a report about violations of the rights of the immigrants. Neatkariga Rita Avize reports on the living conditions of the Somali immigrants in the Olaine refugee camp. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

Telegraf develops a discussion on the loyalty concept, featuring statements of a number of social scientists and politicians about the issue. As it was reported among others the new draft amendments provide the inclusion of the criteria of loyalty in the Citizenship Law. Lecturer of the University of Latvia Sergejs Kruks and the deputy chair of the Peoples Harmony Partys parliamentary group Andrejs Klementjevs believe that there are no such criteria which could assess persons level of loyalty. They argue that in democracy a loyal person should observe the law, however, s/he has the right to question it. While the head of the New Eras parliamentary group Karlis Saduskis argues that a loyal person do not necessarily has to love the state, however, the person has to observe the letter and spirit of law and not spoil states international image. The MP of the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Maris Grinblats believes that a person, who is the member of anti-state organisations, participates in protest actions and calls others to do such actions, violates the law and is not loyal to the state.

The Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools has called the Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks asking to establish the Russian National School and Centre for Culture in the building of the recently closed Riga Secondary School No 44. The Congress proposes to establish a Russian library and museum at the premises of the building as well as provide space for associations of Russian cultural.

The Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools has called the Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks asking to establish the Russian National School and Centre for Culture in the building of the recently closed Riga Secondary School No 44. The Congress proposes to establish a Russian library and museum at the premises of the building as well as provide space for associations of Russian cultural. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segondya features an interview with Eleonora Mitrofanova, the chair of the Russian Centre for International Research and Cultural Co-operation under the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. The main topic of the interview is the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia. According to Eleonora Mitrofanova, Russia is not going to accept that the quality of education provided by in Russian at schools in Latvia is getting worse. She also criticizes Latvia for denying Russian speakers a possibility to communicate with municipalities in their native tongue. Eleonora Mitrofanova believes that Russian should have the status of an official language in all territories inhabited by Russian-speakers in substantial numbers.