• Project on elaboration and implementation of programs for introduction of intercultural dialogue and development of communication skills of persons who work with the third country nationals implemented by an NGO Riga Latvian Society
• Events devoted to the 450th anniversary of the Jewish community and commemoration of the beginning of the Holocaust start today in Riga
• Journalist from Spain films a documentary about Latvian non-citizens

Latvijas Avize reports about a project on elaboration and implementation of programs for introduction of intercultural dialogue and development of communication skills of persons who work with the third country nationals implemented by an NGO Riga Latvian Society. Three curriculums were prepared and taught to about 200 representatives of schools, state and municipal institutions in the framework of the project.

Events devoted to the 450

Events devoted to the 450th anniversary of the Jewish community and commemoration of the beginning of the Holocaust start today in Riga. A conference Jews in the Changing World will be held in the framework of the events today. Chas, Neatkariga

Vesti Segodnya reports that a student of journalism from Spain who filmed a documentary about Latvian non-citizens. According to the journalist, his aim is to explore the problem of non-citizenship in Latvia and to inform Europe about it.

• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers will proclaim the amendments raising fines for insufficient usage of state language
• Union of Citizens and Non-citizens plans to establish a movement for granting voting rights to non-citizens in municipal elections
• All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM proposes to delete an article from the Immigration Law which stipulates granting residence permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia

Neatkariga reports that the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee appealed to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers asking not to proclaim the amendments to the Administrative Violations Code which raise fines for insufficient usage of state language. However, the President decided to proclaim the amendments.

An NGO Union of Citizens and Non-citizens came with an initiative to establish a movement called “2013”. The main aim of the movement would be to achieve granting voting rights to non-citizens in municipal elections in 2013. According to the head on the NGO, this initiative is not a part of pre-election campaign of any party. The head of the NGO believes that solving  the problem would be essential for development of democracy in Latvia.

An NGO Union of Citizens and Non-citizens came with an initiative to establish a movement called 2013. The main aim of the movement would be to achieve granting voting rights to non-citizens in municipal elections in 2013. According to the head on the NGO, this initiative is not a part of pre-election campaign of any party. The head of the NGO believes that solving the problem would be essential for development of democracy in Latvia. Chas

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM proposes to delete an article from the Immigration Law which stipulates granting residence permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia. The nationalists believe that such norm deforms real estate market in the country and results in rising prices for apartments and houses. MPs from the Concord Centre do not agree with that arguing that only owners of expensive real estate can receive the residence permit and it does not impact prices on ordinary apartments. However, the majority of the Saeima supported the proposed draft amendments in the first reading and forwarded those to the parliamentary committees.

The nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM proposes to delete an article from the Immigration Law which stipulates granting residence permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia. The nationalists believe that such norm deforms real estate market in the country and results in rising prices for apartments and houses. MPs from the Concord Centre do not agree with that arguing that only owners of expensive real estate can receive the residence permit and it does not impact prices on ordinary apartments. However, the majority of the Saeima supported the proposed draft amendments in the first reading and forwarded those to the parliamentary committees. Vesti Segodnya

• Ministry of Culture held a discussion on integration of third country nationals

Vesti Segodnya reports about a discussion on integration of third country nationals held by the Ministry of Culture at a Georgian restaurant Tamada. The Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte, the Ombudsman Juris Jansons and other state officials took part in the discussion. The Minister Elerte considers that Latvian non-citizens (those former USSR citizens residing in Latvia before the restoration of independence and their descendants who currently do not have any citizenship) are immigrants with the status of privileged foreigners. The Minister believes that special attention should be paid to proficiency of Latvian language by immigrants and protection of ethnic Latvian national identity.

• 59,5% of Latvian residents are ethnic Latvians
• Vesti Segodnya prints an article about housing conditions of Roma in Jurmala

According to the Central Statistical Bureau, 59,5% of Latvian residents are ethnic Latvians. This is the highest indicator for past 20 years. In 1989 ethnic Latvians comprised 52,5% of population in Latvia. The second largest ethnic group is Russians – 27,4%, and the third largest ethnic group is Belorussians – 3,5%.

According to the Central Statistical Bureau, 59,5% of Latvian residents are ethnic Latvians. This is the highest indicator for past 20 years. In 1989 ethnic Latvians comprised 52,5% of population in Latvia. The second largest ethnic group is Russians – 27,4%, and the third largest ethnic group is Belorussians – 3,5%. Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about housing conditions of Roma in Jurmala (seaside city to the west of Riga). Correspondent of the newspaper visited a social apartment house where the majority of inhabitants are Roma. According to the article, the only convenience in the house is electricity. The Roma inhabitants are unemployed and live on temporary earnings.

• Concord Centre: sunctions envisioned for insufficient language usage is more severe then sunctions for emotional or physical abuse against a child

The Concord Centre’s (CC) faction in the Saeima prepared draft amendments to the Administrative Violations Code which would soften penalties for insufficient usage of state language. The CC proposes that the penalty for the first-time insufficient usage of state language at work could be reduced to a warning, while the penalty for a repeated insufficient language usage could be a pecuniary penalty in amount of LVL 25-50 (EUR 35-71). Amendments recently supported by the Saeima envisage fines for insufficient usage of state language at work ranging from LVL 50 (EUR 71) to LVL 200 (EUR 285). Member of the CC Valerijs Agesins believes that a repressive method is a wrong strategy to solve the problem of insufficient state language proficiency. Mr Agesins notes that violation of the State Language Law is punished by more severe penalties then emotional or physical abuse against a child.

The Concord Centres (CC) faction in the Saeima prepared draft amendments to the Administrative Violations Code which would soften penalties for insufficient usage of state language. The CC proposes that the penalty for the first-time insufficient usage of state language at work could be reduced to a warning, while the penalty for a repeated insufficient language usage could be a pecuniary penalty in amount of LVL 25-50 (EUR 35-71). Amendments recently supported by the Saeima envisage fines for insufficient usage of state language at work ranging from LVL 50 (EUR 71) to LVL 200 (EUR 285). Member of the CC Valerijs Agesins believes that a repressive method is a wrong strategy to solve the problem of insufficient state language proficiency. Mr Agesins notes that violation of the State Language Law is punished by more severe penalties then emotional or physical abuse against a child. Chas, Vesti Segodnya