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

• Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies presents the first study on the situation of Roma in Latvia
• Riga City Council denied a permission to the opponents of the education reform organise the meeting
• Rigas Balss and Telegraf provide their opinion on the situation concerning the dissatisfaction of some MPs with the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Affairs
• Jauna Avize interviews the Integration Minister Nils Muiznieks
• Latvijas Vestnesis interviews the Saeima Vice Speaker Eriks Jekabsons about the situation in the government
• Political scientist Marina Golubeva about national identities

Yesterday the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies presented the study on the situation of Roma in Latvia. The study was financed by the Integration Foundation/European Community Phare and the Soros Foundatin and the UNDP. The study concludes that racism and discrimination against Roma are widespread in Latvian society. The study also reveals dramatic data – up to 60% of Latvian Roma education level is 4 classes or lower and only up to 5% of Roma are officially employed. The

Yesterday the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies presented the study on the situation of Roma in Latvia. The study was financed by the Integration Foundation/European Community Phare and the Soros Foundatin and the UNDP. The study concludes that racism and discrimination against Roma are widespread in Latvian society. The study also reveals dramatic data – up to 60% of Latvian Roma education level is 4 classes or lower and only up to 5% of Roma are officially employed. The report in Latvian is available hereDiena, Vesti Segodnya

On Thursday the representative of the Headquarter of the Opponents against the education reform, Riga City Council deputy agitated people to take part in the meeting of opponents scheduled for 4 September. The Riga City Council denied a permission to organise the meeting because the number of people who will take part in this meeting is hard to estimate as it was for a similar meeting on 23 May, 2003.

On Thursday the representative of the Headquarter of the Opponents against the education reform, Riga City Council deputy agitated people to take part in the meeting of opponents scheduled for 4 September. The Riga City Council denied a permission to organise the meeting because the number of people who will take part in this meeting is hard to estimate as it was for a similar meeting on 23 May, 2003. Diena, Neatkariga, Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Rigas Balss and Telegraf provide their opinion on the situation concerning the dissatisfaction of some MPs with the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks.

Jauna Avize features an interview with the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks. According to Muiznieks integration implies two key principles: co-operation and involvement. He stresses that that his Secretariat deals not only with ethnic integration but also with integration of disabled persons and the poor. Muiznieks notes that Latvia has made a big progress in the field of integration during the last 10 years, however, there is a lot to do – still in some places in Latvia the Latvian language is not in strong positions, as well as the naturalisation tempo is still very slow. Regarding the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Integration Minister states that he approves the ratification although after the EU referendum in Latvia. This is an agreement with some other ministers.

Latvijas Vestnesis interviews the Saeima Vice Speaker Eriks Jekabsons about the situation in the government. Regarding the dissatisfaction of individual MPs with the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks and possible liquidation of the post, Eriks Jekabsons says that he would not like to allow that as this ministry is very needed in Latvia. In his opinion accusations devoted to Muiznieks are not constructive recalls denunciation of the Soviet times.

Neatkariga talks to historian and politcal scientist Maria Golubeva who conducted a study about features of nationalism in the Latvian and Russian press. According to her nationalism is when priorities of nation are put above the individual rights. She believes that both the Latvian and Russian press are teaching or trying to teach their audiences to fear about losing their national identities. She admits that the quality of the Russian press in Latvia is lower than the quality of the Latvian press.

 

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

• Criticism towards the Special Task Minster for Societal Integration
• Nils Muiznieks reported the implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
• Interview with the members of the First Party Eriks Jekabsons and Aleksandrs Brandavs

The Prime Minister Einars Repse stated that the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has to improve its work in the nearest future. The New Era Saeima faction informed that the Secretariat is not acting in accordance with the government’s declaration which provides for that the integration in Latvia should be based on the Latvian language and culture. Nils Muznieks replied that the Secretariat is implementing the State Language Law, promoting the dialogue with national minorities and enforcing the status of Latvian language in the education system. The FF/LNNK Saeima faction criticises the Secretariat for not dealing with the social integration issues. Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee (the Union of Greens and Farmers) stated that his party is not satisfied with Nils Muiznieks’ statements during his visit in Moscow, but that the party will not ask Minister’s demission before the referendum about the Latvia’s EU membership.

The Prime Minister Einars Repse stated that the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has to improve its work in the nearest future. The New Era Saeima faction informed that the Secretariat is not acting in accordance with the governments declaration which provides for that the integration in Latvia should be based on the Latvian language and culture. Nils Muznieks replied that the Secretariat is implementing the State Language Law, promoting the dialogue with national minorities and enforcing the status of Latvian language in the education system. The FF/LNNK Saeima faction criticises the Secretariat for not dealing with the social integration issues. Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee (the Union of Greens and Farmers) stated that his party is not satisfied with Nils Muiznieks statements during his visit in Moscow, but that the party will not ask Ministers demission before the referendum about the Latvias EU membership. Diena, Neatkariga, Vechernaya Riga, Chas

During the meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva Nils Muznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration reported about the implementation of the United Nation’s Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Latvia. Meanwhile the Committee received a shadow-report elaborated by the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee informing about the differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens, the education reform that eliminates the rights of national minorities to receive the education in their mother language.

During the meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva Nils Muznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration reported about the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Latvia. Meanwhile the Committee received a shadow-report elaborated by the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee informing about the differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens, the education reform that eliminates the rights of national minorities to receive the education in their mother language. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the members of the First Party Eriks Jekabsons, the Saeima Vice Speaker and Aleksandrs Brandavs, the advisor of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. They agree that the critics about the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration are oriented to destabilise the First Party and create the situation in which the First Party would not be able to work in the government.

 

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

• Heads of four Saeima Committees complain about the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Government adopted the amendments to the Education Law
• Article by the leader of a Latvian nationalistic organisation about the education reform

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 consider that Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration is not fulfilling his obligations. They suggested that the Prime Minister should re-evaluate the necessity to maintain the office of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.

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 consider that Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration is not fulfilling his obligations. They suggested that the Prime Minister should re-evaluate the necessity to maintain the office of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. Rigas Balss, Telegraf, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segonya, Chas, Lauku Avize

The Government adopted the amendments to the Education Law and removed the word “only” from the Law. The previous version of the Law stipulated that as of 2004 minority secondary education will be in ‘only in Latvian’. Nevertheless the opponents of the education reform plan to continue the protest activities.

The Government adopted the amendments to the Education Law and removed the word only from the Law. The previous version of the Law stipulated that as of 2004 minority secondary education will be in ‘only in Latvian. Nevertheless the opponents of the education reform plan to continue the protest activities. Rigas Balss, Telegraf, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segonya, Lauku Avize

Lauku Avize prints an article by the leader of a Latvian nationalistic organisation Raivis Dzintars about the education reform. He believes that protest activities against the education reform should not take place near the monument of the Latvian poet Janis Rainis.

 

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

• Prime Minister meets with the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Representatives of the nationalistic newspaper DDD disturb the press conference organised by the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• New exposition about the Jews History in Latvia
• Free Latvian language training will be organised by the Naturalisation Board
• Left-wing political parties organise meetings to discuss the education reform

During the meeting of Prime Minister Einars Repse and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muizinieks discussed how to prevent misunderstandings in future, and not the possible abolition of the Special Task Minister’s office suggested by the political parties For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement and the Union of Green and Farmers. Nils Muiznieks informed the Prime Minister about his recent visit to Russia and the work of the Secretariat in general. They agreed to exchange the information more frequently and to improve communication among the coalition.

During the meeting of Prime Minister Einars Repse and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muizinieks discussed how to prevent misunderstandings in future, and not the possible abolition of the Special Task Ministers office suggested by the political parties For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement and the Union of Green and Farmers. Nils Muiznieks informed the Prime Minister about his recent visit to Russia and the work of the Secretariat in general. They agreed to exchange the information more frequently and to improve communication among the coalition. Diena, Neatkariga, Lauku Avize, Telegraf, Chas

During the press conference organised by the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration after the meeting with the Prime Minister, two representatives of the nationalistic newspaper DDD led by Aigars Garda were disturbing the press conference with provocative questions asking “when Russia will take away the occupants”. Nils Muiznieks announced that he would not reply to the questions of the extremist newspaper.

During the press conference organised by the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration after the meeting with the Prime Minister, two representatives of the nationalistic newspaper DDD led by Aigars Garda were disturbing the press conference with provocative questions asking when Russia will take away the occupants. Nils Muiznieks announced that he would not reply to the questions of the extremist newspaper. Vesti Segonya, Telegraf

New exposition about the History of Jews in Latvia between 1918 and 1940 was opened in the museum “Jews in Latvia”.

New exposition about the History of Jews in Latvia between 1918 and 1940 was opened in the museum Jews in Latvia. Lauku Avize

Vesti Segonya features an article by Viktor Guscin about the referendum on Latvias EU membership. He believes that the results of referendum would not be legitimate, as the non-citizens will not have the right to participate in the referendum. The author invites to organise the protest activities against the status of non-citizens the day before the referendum.

The Naturalisation Board is starting the session of free of charge Latvian language training for 1350 people willing to acquire the citizenship. For the first time the training session will be financed from the state budget (50 000 LVL). So far the funding was provided by the international organisations and foreign embassies, and approximately 3,5 thousand people learned Latvian within the framework of this programme.

The Naturalisation Board is starting the session of free of charge Latvian language training for 1350 people willing to acquire the citizenship. For the first time the training session will be financed from the state budget (50 000 LVL). So far the funding was provided by the international organisations and foreign embassies, and approximately 3,5 thousand people learned Latvian within the framework of this programme. Telegraf

The MPs and Riga City Council  members belonging to the left-wing political parties will organise meetings in different regions of Riga to discuss the education reform and inform about the protest activities planned in September.

The MPs and Riga City Council members belonging to the left-wing political parties will organise meetings in different regions of Riga to discuss the education reform and inform about the protest activities planned in September. Chas

 

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

• Special Task Minister for Societal Integration will meet with the Prime Minister
• Socialist party against Latvias EU membership and the education reform

Vesti Segodya reports about the meetings of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks with members of the Russian Parliament. The newspaper informs that after his arrival from Russia Nils Muiznieks will meet with the Prime Minister to discuss and evaluate the work of the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.

Chas reports that the Socialist party led by Alfreds Rubiks is against Latvias EU membership and the education reform. Currently the Socialist party is the only party represented in Parliament that has officially declared a stance against EU membership for Latvia.