• Saeima reviews a draft law stipulating that Latvian radio stations will have to broadcast their programmes in Latvian or in foreign language only

Vesti Segodnya reports about a draft law according to which each radio station in Latvia would have to broadcast only in one language -  in Latvian or in foreign language. The proposal is elaborated by the National Council on Electronic Mass Media with an aim to regularize situation in the radio market. The draft law proposes each radio station to choose its working language – state or foreign language. According to the director of the Association of Broadcasting Organisations Gunta Lidaka, there are radio stations in Latvia which do not fulfil their broadcasting licence obligation on language proportions. For instance there are radio stations whose licence says that it should broadcast 90% of programmes in Latvian and 10% in Russian, but in reality 100% of broadcasts are in Russian. Mrs Lidaka is sceptical about one of the draft law’s provisions which says that the radio stations currently broadcasting more than 50% in Latvian language will have to broadcast in Latvian only. The draft law also stipulates that 80% of programmes will have to be produced by radio station itself instead of re-broadcasting foreign programmes.  Especially, it will concern radio stations mostly broadcasting Russia’s radio programmes. The MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) believes that the aim of the draft law is to establish control over radio stations. He also believes, taking into account that all the radio stations will have to re-register, the Council on Electronic Mass Media might refuse re-registration for some radio stations and motivate its decision by the claim that there are enough of Russian language radio stations in some regions. Representative of a radio station “Baltkom” (broadcasting in Russian language) stated that, if the new regulation is approved, it is not clear what to do, for instance, when the live radio broadcast receives a call from its listener speaking in Latvian language.

• Politicians are "preying upon the pot of divisions"

According to culture researcher Deniss Hanovs, the politicians in Latvia are "preying upon the pot of interethnic relations, divisions and conflicting memories" and this denigrates the quality of political discussions. Activities such as of the Congress of Non-citizens, ideas about the autonomy of Latgale, wide celebrations of defeat of Nazi Germany on 9 May could be explained by irresponsible integration policy and the lack of inclusive messages by the politicians. Many Latvian Russians are sympathetic towards Russia because they do not fully understand the processes there and receive information about that country from Russian mass-media. To make sure Latvian message enters the living space of minorities, more funding should be allotted to Latvian language training. Diena 

• Number of population in Latvia dropped below 2 millions
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about initiator of a movement of pro-European Russian residents in Latvia, journalist Igors Vatolins

According to the Central Statistical Bureau the number of population in Latvia dropped below 2 millions – presently there are 1,997,500 of residents living in the country. 22,561 persons emigrated from Latvia and 8,299 arrived to Latvia in 2013. The majority of Latvians or 73% emigrated to the Great Britain and Germany, 16% emigrated to the CIS countries. 58% of immigrants arrived to Latvia from the EU countries, 31% from CIS countries. The number of representatives of the biggest groups of ethnicities in Latvia also decreased – number of ethnic Latvians decreased by 8,400, Russians by 10,300, Ukrainians, Polish, and Belorussians by 1,100 – 1,600 correspondingly. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize prints an article about initiator of a movement of pro-European Russian residents in Latvia, journalist Igors Vatolins. The reason for Vatolins’ initiative is events in Ukraine which have affected Russian speaking residents in Latvia. The newspaper reports that Mr Vatolins for many years has worked for Russian language newspapers and was one of the most activist protestors against language reform in minority schools in 2003 and 2004.  In an interview with the newspaper, Mr Vatolins says that after events in Crimea large-scale non-citizenship, situation with minority schools, language status and confrontation about historical issues in Latvia is not anymore issue of perception of the world or human rights, but it is the matter of Latvian national security. Mr Vatolins says that he does not believe that Russian residents in Latvia one day might become Russia’s President’s Vladimir Putin’s weapon. The newspaper also notes that while Vatolin’s movement is not officially registered, on 9 May, activists of the Congress of Non-citizens already registered an association “Movement of European Russians” which has nothing in common with Vatolin’s movement.

• Saeima supported the draft Introduction to the Constitution of Latvia in the second reading
• Ex-MEP from Latvia, politician Karlis Sadurskis: education system in Latvia should become more ethnic Latvian
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about Roma integration

Yesterday, after three hours debates, the Saeima supported the draft Introduction to the Constitution of Latvia in the second reading. In the framework of the debates, the MP from the oppositional party the Concord Centre Andrejs Elksnins proposed to conduct a national referendum about the adoption of the Introduction as it impacts irrevocable articles of the Constitution. However, such proposal was refused. The Saeima also refused a proposal of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM to return a notion of state nation referring to ethnic Latvians in the Introduction. As reported, the draft text of the Introduction says: “Latvia was proclaimed on 18 November 1918 is formed through consolidation of historically Latvian lands based on a firm state will of ethnic Latvian nation and its integral right for self-determination in order to guarantee existence and development of ethnic Latvian nation, its language and culture for centuries, to ensure freedom of every person and whole nation and facilitate welfare [..] Latvian nation honours its warriors for freedom, pays tribute to the victims of foreign regimes, condemns crimes of communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes. Latvia as democratic, legal, socially responsible and national state is based on human dignity and freedoms, recognizes and protects fundamental rights and respects national minorities. [..] Since ancient times, Latvian identity in European cultural space is formed by ethnic Latvian and Liv’s traditions and wisdom, Latvian language, universal human and Christian values. Latvian language as the only state language, freedom, honesty, justice, solidarity, equality, family, labour and devotion to Latvia is the foundation for the solid Latvian society.[...].” Diena

In an interview with Latvijas Avize, ex-MEP from Latvia, politician Karlis Sadurskis stated that it is important to create a common Russian language media broadcasting for Baltic states as soon as possible in order to provide an alternative for channel re-broadcasted from Russia. He said that education system in Latvia should become more ethnic Latvian and Latvian language should be as the basic language of education.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about Roma integration. According to it, there are about 9,000 Roma residents in Latvia and in every area – such as education, employment, housing and health care – there is a lot to improve. Head of the Roma organisation Nevo Drom Anatolijs Berzovskis says that many Roma have emigrated from Latvia in search of work in other countries. Mr Berezovskis also says that many Roma children lack motivation to continue education. According to the head of the Roma Culture Development Centre Kaspars Antess, discrimination towards Roma people in Latvia is controversial issue because from one side they are granted the same rights as other citizens but the problem is whether Roma are ready to use these rights. 

• Vesti Segodnya: the new edition of the draft Introduction to the Constitution omitted the statement that Latvia observes the rights of ethnic minorities

Vesti Segodnya prints the text of the draft Introduction to the Constitution of Latvia as to be considered by the Saeima in the second reading: “Latvia was proclaimed on 18 November 1918 is formed through consolidation of historically Latvian lands based on a firm state will of ethnic Latvian nation and its integral right for self-determination in order to guarantee existence and development of ethnic Latvian nation, its language and culture for centuries, to ensure freedom of every person and whole nation and facilitate welfare [..] Latvian nation honours its warriors for freedom, pays tribute to the victims of foreign regimes, condemns crimes of communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes. Latvia as democratic, legal, socially responsible and national state is based on human dignity and freedoms, recognizes and protects fundamental rights and respects national minorities. [..] Since ancient times, Latvian identity in European cultural space is formed by ethnic Latvian and Liv’s traditions and wisdom, Latvian language, universal human and Christian values. Latvian language as the only state language, freedom, honesty, justice, solidarity, equality, family, labour and devotion to Latvia is the foundation for the solid Latvian society.[...].” The newspaper notes that in the first draft of the Introduction it was said that Latvia observes rights of ethnic minorities. The Saeima reviews the draft Introduction in the second reading today.