• Vesti Segodnya reports that the Security Police initiated a case against a Russian speaking woman for a comment allegedly inciting to ethnic hatred
• NRA prints an interview with ex-Head of the Naturalisation Board (NB) Eizenija Aldermane

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Security Police (SP) initiated a case against a Russian speaking woman for a comment placed in the ethnic Latvian nationalistic internet portal www.braucmajas.lv (go home). The woman asserts that she placed a comment stating: Latvia is our motherland, while you, Latvians, should remember where you were born – in the Soviet Union. The woman tells that the SP threatened her with 10 years of imprisonment for such comment arguing that the comment incites to ethnic hatred. The newspaper also notes that the same internet portal contains several comments insulting Russian speaking residents of Latvia.

NRA prints an interview with ex-Head of the Naturalisation Board (NB) Eizenija Aldermane. Mrs. Aldermane occupied the position since establishment of the Naturalisation Board in 1995. Mrs. Aldermane considers that integration of non-citizens would be more successful if certain politicians would stop labelling them as dangerous. Mrs. Aldermane also believes that the NB is not responsible for the fact that some naturalised non-Latvians do not use Latvian language after they received citizenship. She believes it is a problem of unsuccessful integration policy. Eizenija Aldermane also believes that the new Citizenship Law should be elaborated because the current law was amended too many times so that new amendments are not permissible.

• 6,000 residents of Latvia legally moved to other countries for permanent residency in 2008
• Saeima proclaimed 23 August as commemoration day of victims of Stalinism and Nazism

NRA reports that 6,000 residents of Latvia legally moved to other countries for permanent residency in 2008. 20% emigrated to Russia, 19,7% to Ireland, 11,1% to the Great Britain, and 10,1% to Germany. 60% of residents who left the country are Latvian citizens.

The Saeima supported proposal to proclaim 23 August (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) as commemoration day of victims of Stalinism and Nazism.

The Saeima supported proposal to proclaim 23 August (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) as commemoration day of victims of Stalinism and Nazism. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, NRA

• Ombudsman Romans Apsitis reported about activities of the Ombudsmans Office before the MPs
• Latvian poet Janis Peters: two-community society will exist in Latvia very long time

Yesterday in the Saeima the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis reported about activities of the Ombudsman’s Office in 2008. According to the report, the Ombudsman received 2100 written and 2434 mutual complaints. Majority of the complaints concerned the right to fair trial, social issues, good governance and discrimination. The Ombudsman issued several opinions and statements, including statement on rights of non-citizens. Besides discussion about the Ombudsman’s activities in 2008, the MPs discussed the conflict between Romans Apsitis and employees of the Office, who demanded his resignation.

Yesterday in the Saeima the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis reported about activities of the Ombudsmans Office in 2008. According to the report, the Ombudsman received 2100 written and 2434 mutual complaints. Majority of the complaints concerned the right to fair trial, social issues, good governance and discrimination. The Ombudsman issued several opinions and statements, including statement on rights of non-citizens. Besides discussion about the Ombudsmans activities in 2008, the MPs discussed the conflict between Romans Apsitis and employees of the Office, who demanded his resignation. Latvijas Avize

Famous Latvian poet Janis Peters in an interview with

Famous Latvian poet Janis Peters in an interview with Telegraf stated that two-community society will exist in Latvia forever or for very long time because Russian speaking residents will not reject their ethnic identity and language.

• Telegraf reports that Russias NGO Russkie begun issuing card of Russian to Russian compatriots in Baltic countries, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova
• Diena prints an article about the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis

Telegraf reports that Russias NGO Russkie begun issuing card of Russian to Russian compatriots in Baltic countries, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova. Such initiative is negatively evaluated by the Security Police of Latvia and will be reviewed at the meeting of Saeimas National Security Committee. According to a representative of the Security Police, spread of such cards looks like political process aimed at splitting Latvian residents on different categories and it might endanger integration process and naturalisation. The director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris considers that such initiative is acceptable only if it does not have any political subtext and does not become an instrument of interference in Latvian internal affairs. According to the head of the United Congress of Russian Community in Latvia Aleksandrs Gaponenko, the card of Russian is initiative of Russias NGO and has no relation to activities of Russian government.

Diena prints an article about the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis. In an interview with the newspaper, the MP Ainars Latkovskis (a key person in elaboration of the Law on Ombudsman) states that activities of the Ombudsman do not fulfil the idea of the Ombudsmans Office because it continues to deal mostly with the same issues as the National Human Rights Office despite the fact that budget and capacity of the Ombudsmans Office are much greater. Mr. Latkovskis believes that the conflict in the Ombudsmans Office arose because of low moral authority of Mr. Apsitis in the eyes of his employees. Mr. Latkovskis considers a more suitable head of the Office would give a second breath to the institution.

• Saeimas Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee voiced support to the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis
• Vaira Vike-Freiberga: split among ethnic Latvian parties might deprive them of inclusion in the parliament

Yesterday, the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee met with the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis and employees of the Ombudsman’s Office who demanded his resignation. The MPs concluded that the Ombudsman handles his job well, while employees are unable to prove that Mr. Apsitis has failed in the fulfilment of his duties. Head of the Committee Ingirda Circene considers that arguments of his staff are emotionally grounded and that the conflict should be resolved internally in the Ombudsman’s Office.

Yesterday, the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee met with the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis and employees of the Ombudsmans Office who demanded his resignation. The MPs concluded that the Ombudsman handles his job well, while employees are unable to prove that Mr. Apsitis has failed in the fulfilment of his duties. Head of the Committee Ingirda Circene considers that arguments of his staff are emotionally grounded and that the conflict should be resolved internally in the Ombudsmans Office. Telegraf, Diena

Ex-President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga believes that split among ethnic Latvian parties may prevent them from gaining parliamentary seats and may lead to the victory of left-wing parties in the next Saeima elections.

Ex-President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga believes that split among ethnic Latvian parties may prevent them from gaining parliamentary seats and may lead to the victory of left-wing parties in the next Saeima elections. Chas