• Jewish cemetery desecrated again in Riga
• Radicals will hold a procession in the centre of Riga on 1 July
• Activists of Russian NGOs forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Riga symbolic passports of “non-citizens”

Vesti Segodnya reports about desecration of the New Jewish cemetery in Riga. On 27 June, unknown vandals damaged stained-glass window of a chapel probably by shooting at it with a gun. As reported, last time the Jewish cemetery was desecrated in December 2010 when many graves were painted with white swastika.

This year, national radicals again are planning to hold a procession in the centre of Riga on 1 July – the day of entrance of Nazi troops to Riga in 1941. Organiser of the procession radical Igors Siskins asserts that the procession will be held in commemoration of Stalin’s repressions in 1940-1941. Vesti Segodnya

On the threshold of U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Latvia, activists of Russian NGOs forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Riga symbolic passports of “non-citizens” of the United States of America. In the line “Nationality”, the letters “United States of America” have been stricken-out and replaced with “Alien!” The symbolic passports were issued to the U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michele Obama, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber. By this action, the activists ask the U.S. State Secretary to draw attention to the problem of mass scale non-citizenship in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

• State Language Centre will punish ex-MP Valerijs Kravcovs with pecuniary penalty for a bilingual street sign (
• Minister of Education and Science Roberts Kilis: experts do not support transition of all kindergartens into only Latvian language
• Neatkariga prints an interview with the ex-Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins

The State Language Centre decided to punish ex-MP Valerijs Kravcovs with pecuniary penalty for putting at his house a bilingual street sign (in Latvian and Russian languages). The amount of the fine is not known yet, however, Mr. Kravcovs already stated he will not pay the fine and appeal it in the court. As reported, activist of a party “For Equal Rights” Jevgenijs Osipovs called to join an action for Russian language by placing bilingual street signs in Latvian and Russian languages. Chas

According to the Minister of Education and Science Roberts Kilis, a working group of education experts which was established by the government’s coalition in order to evaluate the proposal of transition of all kindergartens into only Latvian language concluded that such hasty decision in inadmissible. Experts believe that such changes could cause psychological problems and hinder the development of children to whom Latvian language is not a native language. The Minister Kilis believes that monolingual education is in the past because now the society lives in multilingual environment and it is logical that children start learning foreign languages together with their native language already in kindergarten. Vesti Segodnya

Neatkariga prints an interview with the ex-Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (member of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM). Mr Berzins asserts that the main reason for his resignation was the issue of restitution of Jewish properties in Latvia. Mr Berzins does not deny that resignation was also influenced by other issues such as communication between the nationalists’ union and their coalition partners from the Unity. According to Mr Berzins, the nationalists’ union wants to be perceived as equal partner, however many of its proposals are denied without discussions. As an example, Mr Berzins mentions proposals regarding Latvian citizenship: the nationalists union does not support granting Latvian citizenship automatically as it is proposed now.

• Newspapers continue to report about issues regarding the restitution of Jewish properties

Newspapers continue to report about issues regarding the restitution of Jewish properties. As reported, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins resigned from the post complaining about disagreements over the return of Jewish organisations’ properties to the Jewish community with the Prime Minister.Neatkariga reports that representatives of Jewish community in Latvia are planning to meet with all the Saeima’s factions in order to know the opinion of the parties regarding the issue. The Jewish community also stated that it claims to return only its religious and public properties which belonged to the Jewish organisations before the WWII and were built or bought for its members’ means or donations.  Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Mordehai Amihai-Bivas during his visit to Latvia stated the solution of issues regarding restitution of Jewish properties would restore historical justice.  Board member of an NGO Russian Community in Latvia Igors Vatolins, in his turn, in an interview with Chas stated that the Russian community also could claim for properties which belong to it before 1940, because speaking of historical justice other ethnic minorities should not be forgotten. Chas, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Saeima supported in the final reading the draft amendments stipulating that initiators of a referendum should gather about 150,000 signatures of the voters
• Well known Latvian lawyer Andris Grutups criticizes claim to return properties to Jewish community

 Yesterday, the Saeima supported in the final reading the draft amendments to the Law on National Referendum and Legislative Initiatives stipulating that initiators of a referendum should gather about 150,000 signatures of the voters. At present, the initiators are required to collect 10,000 signatures in order to start the second stage – state funded collection of signatures. If the state President Andris Berzins proclaims the amendments those will come into force on 1 January 2015. The oppositional parties appealed to the President asking not to proclaim the amendments. Latvijas Avize

 

Well known Latvian lawyer, co-author of Latvia’s restitution legislation Andris Grutups (also known for his controversial statements regarding Jews) stated that claims of the Jewish community to return pre-war properties is a manifestation of greed and shamelessness of certain individuals. Mr Grutups stated that thanks to the Latvian denationalisation legislation 90% of Jewish properties are already returned to Jews and their descendants. According to Mr Grutups, there were specific time limits when persons could claim their properties, but the properties which had no inheritors passed to the state. Mr Grutups believes that no exemptions should be made to Jews because Latvia is the state of ethnic Latvians and therefore such exemptions could only be made for ethnic Latvians. As reported, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins resigned from the post formally stating that the reason is pressure of the Prime Minister to solve issues with restitution of Jewish properties. Chas

21 June, 2012 

• Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins resigns amid disagreements over returning of Jewish organisations’ properties to the Jewish community

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins resigned amid disagreements over the return of Jewish organisations’ properties to the Jewish community. Mr.Berzins complained about pressure and stated that the assignment given by the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis regarding the properties violates the coalition agreement. According to Raivis Dzintars, the co-chairperson of the radical nationalist union “All for Latvia! For Fatherland and Freedom / Latvian National Independence Movement” (AL!FF/LNIM) the property restitution process is complete and should not be revised in the interests of one ethnic community. Earlier, the President of the Republic of Latvia Andris Berzins expressed his support to the initiative to return the properties. Newspapers also inform that the issue might be raised during the upcoming visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Chas, Diena, Neatkariga, Vesti-Segodya