• Diena publishes article about the relations between Latvia and Livonians

Reinis Lazda writes about the relations between Latvia and Livonians (native population of Latvia). The author believes that during inter-war years Latvia viewed activities of Livonians with suspicion, probably out of fear of Livonian separatism, although there were only 1000 ethnic Livonians at that time. Now there are fewer then 200 ethnic Livonians and only few speak Livonian as native tongue. The author believes that current Latvia’s policy towards Livonians is superficial. He views positively the fact that a Livonian Affairs Division was established at the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS). However, Mr.Lazda is critical about its activities and expenditures, and suggests that some of the money could be used on development of online electronic resources, such as homepage with comprehensive information on Livonians, electronic books in Livonian, including study kits and dictionaries, as well as information about events devoted to Livonians.

Reinis Lazda writes about the relations between Latvia and Livonians (native population of Latvia). The author believes that during inter-war years Latvia viewed activities of Livonians with suspicion, probably out of fear of Livonian separatism, although there were only 1000 ethnic Livonians at that time. Now there are fewer then 200 ethnic Livonians and only few speak Livonian as native tongue. The author believes that current Latvias policy towards Livonians is superficial. He views positively the fact that a Livonian Affairs Division was established at the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS). However, Mr.Lazda is critical about its activities and expenditures, and suggests that some of the money could be used on development of online electronic resources, such as homepage with comprehensive information on Livonians, electronic books in Livonian, including study kits and dictionaries, as well as information about events devoted to Livonians. Diena

• Constitutional amendments did not gather sufficient support in a referendum
• Report about the work of the Security Police discussed
• Radical right-wing party launched new video clip

Newspapers report that constitutional amendments envisaging citizens’ right to dissolve Latvia’s parliament, did not gather sufficient support in a referendum on 2 August 2008.

Newspapers report that constitutional amendments envisaging citizens right to dissolve Latvias parliament, did not gather sufficient support in a referendum on 2 August 2008. Neatkariga Rita Avize (NRA) comments that Russian boggard has failed to materialise or to scare the voters. Despite some claims that activity of Russian voters was greater than usual, NRA notes that there are no data about ethnic affiliation of referendums participants, while some experts point out that proposed amendments do not concern Russian voters directly.

Telegraf discusses report about the work of the Security Police during the first half of 2008. Anatolijs Berezovskis, the head of Roma NGO Nevo Drom, recognises that many discriminatory and hate speech comments against Roma are published on the internet, although he is not convinced that national extremist activities have left the streets and moved into the internet. According to Mr.Berezovskis, discrimination against the Roma is not rare, yet many victims are not reporting the instances of discrimination. According to Kristine Garina, Board member of LGBT NGO Mozaika, people became more cautious about openly expressing discriminatory views in the real world; therefore, intolerance and extremism are more often expressed in the virtual world, where people mistakenly believe they are anonymous.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a new video clip launched by the radical right-wing party All for Latvia! calling for transition of all state funded schools to Latvian language. The images of Soviet tanks, portrait of Stalin and phrases in Russian are contrasted with Latvian patriotic songs and calls for Latvian Latvia.

• Security Police reported about its work during the first half of 2008
• Employers Confederation of Latvia: politicians, civil servants and entrepreneurs should work together
• Electronic database of Latgalian is being developed

Security Police (SP) reported about its work during the first half of 2008. According to SP, following a number of detentions, activity of Latvia’s skinheads has decreased. During the first half of 2008, four criminal offences committed by skinheads were disclosed: two racially motivated attacks and two cases of hooliganism. SP believes that attempts to popularise extremist ideas and organisations and to attract new members will be continued. SP emphasised that there is a tendency among radicals and extremists to increase their activities in the virtual space, both in the internet resources available to wide public and in specialised forums of similarly minded people.

Security Police (SP) reported about its work during the first half of 2008. According to SP, following a number of detentions, activity of Latvias skinheads has decreased. During the first half of 2008, four criminal offences committed by skinheads were disclosed: two racially motivated attacks and two cases of hooliganism. SP believes that attempts to popularise extremist ideas and organisations and to attract new members will be continued. SP emphasised that there is a tendency among radicals and extremists to increase their activities in the virtual space, both in the internet resources available to wide public and in specialised forums of similarly minded people. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize published a letter of Elina Egle, the General Director the Employers Confederation of Latvia (LDDK). Mrs.Egle points at a number of shortcomings in the state language policy and in the activity of the working group that elaborated new, enlarged, list of posts and professions which require different levels of obligatory Latvian language proficiency under the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations Nr.296. According to Mrs.Egle, LDDK opposed urgency in adoption of the amendments, because a number of shortcomings were not solved. Mrs.Egle also argues that politicians, civil servants and entrepreneurs should work together in order to ensure that employees do not lose their jobs, but improve their state language skills. In response to the letter, Inara Murniece, journalist of Latvijas Avize, stated that the amendments were necessary, because previous version of Regulations Nr.296. allowed for bilingualism in private sphere and doubts whether LDDK would enlarge the list upon its own will. Mrs.Murniece also charges that Elina Egle and Ivars Godmanis (the Prime Minister of Latvia) reply to journalists of Russian-language media in Russian language.

Vesti Segodnya writes about the elaboration of electronic database of Latgalian. The database is being developed by Zans Hanins, who already developed online electronic database of Russian, English, German, French, Byelorussian, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian, which allows translation of any phrase from one of these languages to another. Mr.Hanins argues that Latgalian is older than Latvian, and expresses concern that the Saeima might Latvianize Latgalian alphabet and rules.

• House administrator accused of ethnic discrimination

Newspapers reported about controversy in Jurmala (seaside town near Riga). An administrator of a 50-apartments-house has placed inside the house yard a self-made placard with inscription in Russian “Only a pig has the great right, to dump garbage anywhere.” The inscription was not translated into Latvian. Eight months earlier, another sign was placed inside the same yard, depicting pig’s head and inscription “Grunt-grunt”, also in Russian only. Except for these incidents, all other information and documents issued by the house administrator were only in Latvian language. A resident of the house has filed court application and complained to the Ombudsman’s Office and to the State Language Centre, alleging that the placard is discriminating on the ground of ethnic origin. The house administrator removed the placard after communication with the State Language Centre.

Newspapers reported about controversy in Jurmala (seaside town near Riga). An administrator of a 50-apartments-house has placed inside the house yard a self-made placard with inscription in Russian Only a pig has the great right, to dump garbage anywhere. The inscription was not translated into Latvian. Eight months earlier, another sign was placed inside the same yard, depicting pigs head and inscription Grunt-grunt, also in Russian only. Except for these incidents, all other information and documents issued by the house administrator were only in Latvian language. A resident of the house has filed court application and complained to the Ombudsmans Office and to the State Language Centre, alleging that the placard is discriminating on the ground of ethnic origin. The house administrator removed the placard after communication with the State Language Centre. Chas

• The Cabinet of Ministers enlarged state language requirements in employment

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers has approved amendments to the Regulations Nr.296, enlarging the list of posts and professions which require different levels of obligatory Latvian language proficiency. The new requirements are applicable to private sphere. Among nearly 1300 posts and professions included into the list are titles of director, aircraft designer and engineer, but also locksmith, housemaid, photographer as well as officer-on-duty of dump-site. According to

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers has approved amendments to the Regulations Nr.296, enlarging the list of posts and professions which require different levels of obligatory Latvian language proficiency. The new requirements are applicable to private sphere. Among nearly 1300 posts and professions included into the list are titles of director, aircraft designer and engineer, but also locksmith, housemaid, photographer as well as officer-on-duty of dump-site. According to Latvijas Avize, the Prime Minister suggested that representatives of some professions could effectively avoid these requirements by clearly defining in employment contract whether communication to the public is part of their professional duties. Chas expresses concern that adoption of the new regulations was driven by desire to ensure advantage to native speakers of Latvian on the doorstep of growing unemployment. According to Latvijas Avize, General Director the Employers Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) objected to new requirements, alleging that the list of professions is very extensive, language regulations should be proportionate, while imposition of language requirements on directors in private sphere is going against the principle of attracting foreign investment and someone like Bill Gates could not be employed in Latvia.

Latvijas Avize, Chas