• President Andris Berzins: Russian language should be used in communication with the Russian speaking residents in order to understand each other
• 112 persons requested asylum in Latvia during the first six months of 2011

Neatkariga prints an interview with the new President Andris Berzins. The Presidents states that if necessary he will speak with Russian speaking residents of Latvia in the Russian language. According to the President, the status of the Latvian language as the only state language is fixed in the Constitution and it is the states foundation-stone which is much more stable than politics. Mr Berzins says: Russian language should be used in communication with Russian speaking residents in order to understand each other, explain them what we do, and how we can become closer to one other for the states benefit.

Neatkariga reports about the influx of asylum seekers in Latvia. According to the State Border Guard Service, 112 persons requested asylum in Latvia during the first six months of 2011. It is almost twice more that during all 2011 when there were 64 asylum seekers. The majority of asylum seekers come from Georgia, Congo, and other African and also Asian countries. The refugee status has been granted only to three asylum seekers and nine persons have received alternative status. Political scientist Nils Muiznieks believes that the country should be also ready for the influx of asylum seekers from Belarus where crisis is deepening.

• Chas prints an article about the possible influx of asylum seekers to Latvia
• Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte criticizes the statement by the new President Andris Berzins about language

Chas prints an article about the possible influx of asylum seekers to Latvia. The article highlights that NGOs and several state institutions are implementing various projects on the assistance to asylums seekers, refugees and persons who received alternative status in Latvia and their integration into the society, and projects the number of increase of such project. It mentions the NGO Shelter. Safe House which provides social and legal assistance to the third country national in order to help them deal with different issues they face on daily basis.

The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte criticizes the statement by the new President Andris Berzins that the language is not a political tool but a means of communication and that he will not refuse to speak other languages besides Latvian in cases when the state language is not mandatorily required. The Minister believes that such statement from the head of state endangers the position of the Latvian language as the only state language in Latvia.

The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte criticizes the statement by the new President Andris Berzins that the language is not a political tool but a means of communication and that he will not refuse to speak other languages besides Latvian in cases when the state language is not mandatorily required. The Minister believes that such statement from the head of state endangers the position of the Latvian language as the only state language in Latvia. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte proposes to consider introduction of integration agreements for foreigners coming to reside in Latvia
• European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström: Latvia will have to show its will and accept bigger number of refugees
• State Language Centre criticizes the statement of the new President Andris Berzins regarding ability to speak also in the foreign languages

The Ministry of Culture wants to have tighter co-operation with the Ministry of Justice on promotion of integration of residents with temporary or permanent residence permits in Latvia. The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte believes that inclusion of immigrants in the ethnic Latvian environment and their proficiency in Latvian language are in the interests of the state. The Minister considers that Latvia should consider the possibility to introduce the integration agreements according to which persons coming to Latvia for residency would take obligation to learn Latvian language, history and cultural basis. Latvijas Avize

The European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström in an interview with Diena states Latvia will have to show its will and accept bigger number of refugees in the framework of the European solidarity in this issue. The Commissioner says that the EU cannot force Latvia to accept refugees but as the Latvian government also agreed on the asylum system in Europe it should display its initiative in this issue.

The State Language Centre (SLC) criticizes the statement of the new President Andris Berzins who stated that besides Latvian language he could also speak in the foreign languages he is proficient in at the events which do not require mandatory speaking in Latvian. Head of the SLC language control department Antons Kursitis believes that such position of the state President is disrespect towards state language and it will strengthen self-sufficiency of Russian language. Chas

• New President Andris Berzins will not refuse to speak in foreign languages
• Latvian language proficiency requirement for the EU permanent residency applicants will not be cancelled yet

The new President of Latvia Andris Berzins believes that language is not a political tool and at the events which do not require mandatory speaking of the Latvian language he will not refuse to speak in other languages.

The new President of Latvia Andris Berzins believes that language is not a political tool and at the events which do not require mandatory speaking of the Latvian language he will not refuse to speak in other languages. Telegraf

Chas reports that the Latvian language proficiency requirement for the European Union (EU) permanent residency applicants will not be cancelled yet. The political party Concord Centre believes that such requirement should be cancelled because the permanent EU residents are not obliged to speak Latvian. At present, third country nationals who have resided in Latvia during last five years and have a stable income and are proficient in Latvian have the right to receive the status of the permanent resident of the EU.

• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM decided to merge with the radical nationalist party All for Latvia!
• Vladimir Linderman: collection of signatures is like an opinion poll asking the Russian speaking residents whether they want Russian to be the official language in Latvia

The party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM has taken a decision to merge with the radical nationalist party All for Latvia! At the last Saeima and municipal elections both parties ran on a joint list. The nationalist union’s aim is to double the number of their representatives in the Parliament.  

The party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM has taken a decision to merge with the radical nationalist party All for Latvia! At the last Saeima and municipal elections both parties ran on a joint list. The nationalist unions aim is to double the number of their representatives in the Parliament.

The weekly magazine

The weekly magazine Sestdiena prints an interview with Vladimir Linderman, currently co-chair of NGO Native Language- one of the initiators of the collection of signatures in support of the constitutional amendments on granting Russian the status of an official language in Latvia. V.Linderman believes that the collection of signatures is like an opinion poll asking the Russian speaking residents whether they want Russian to be an official language in Latvia. Mr Linderman believes that the initiative will succeed if it gathers 150,000 signatures. Linderman joined the Russian National Bolshevik party in 1997, became leader of the Latvian chapter, and resided illegally in Russia from 2002 until his extradition to Latvia in 2008. He was charged with possession of weapons but later acquitted.