• MP Visvaldis Lacis must bring public apologies to the MP Nikolajs Kabanovs for calling him enemy of Latvia and Latvian nation
• Latgalians demand for official usage of Latgalian language

The MP Nikolajs Kabanovs (the Concord Centre) won the court case on defence of his honour and dignity against the MP Visvaldis Lacis (former Waffen SS legionary and an unaffiliated MP known for his nationalistic views). According to the ruling, Visvalidis Lacis must bring public apologies to Nikolajs Kabanovs for calling him “enemy of Latvia and Latvian nation” from the Saeima’s tribune. Mr. Lacis made this statement during the debates on candidacy of Mr. Kabanovs in the Latvian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

The MP Nikolajs Kabanovs (the Concord Centre) won the court case on defence of his honour and dignity against the MP Visvaldis Lacis (former Waffen SS legionary and an unaffiliated MP known for his nationalistic views). According to the ruling, Visvalidis Lacis must bring public apologies to Nikolajs Kabanovs for calling him enemy of Latvia and Latvian nation from the Saeimas tribune. Mr. Lacis made this statement during the debates on candidacy of Mr. Kabanovs in the Latvian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Participants of the Latgalian conference held recently in Rezekne (city in the Eastern part of Latvia) sent a letter to the Minister of Education and Science Tatjana Koke and the Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins asking for official usage of Latgalian language in communication in public sphere, learning of Latgalian in schools and the right to write documentation in this language. Presently, the State Language Law stipulates preservation and development of written Latgalian language as a historical variety of Latvian language, while spoken Latgalian is considered a dialect and does not enjoy protection envisaged by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Participants of the Latgalian conference held recently in Rezekne (city in the Eastern part of Latvia) sent a letter to the Minister of Education and Science Tatjana Koke and the Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins asking for official usage of Latgalian language in communication in public sphere, learning of Latgalian in schools and the right to write documentation in this language. Presently, the State Language Law stipulates preservation and development of written Latgalian language as a historical variety of Latvian language, while spoken Latgalian is considered a dialect and does not enjoy protection envisaged by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Diena

• 67% of foreign students faced discrimination in Latvia
• Vesti Segodnya reports about the third European Russian Forum
• International organisation The Equal Rights Trust criticizes amendments to the Law on Pensions which stipulate reduction of pensions of Latvian citizens as a way to eliminate discrimination of non-citizens

According to a survey held in the framework of a project “Latvia – Equality in Diversity IV” funded by the European Commission, 67% of foreign students who study in five Latvian higher education establishments faced discrimination in Latvia. 33% faced ethnic and racial discrimination, 30% faced language discrimination. Almost 40% of foreign students had problems due to language barrier and the same number faced difficulties in obtaining some kind of information. 35% faced difficulties in receiving medical care, solving problems in the hostel, and satisfying their preferences in the public catering.

According to a survey held in the framework of a project Latvia – Equality in Diversity IV funded by the European Commission, 67% of foreign students who study in five Latvian higher education establishments faced discrimination in Latvia. 33% faced ethnic and racial discrimination, 30% faced language discrimination. Almost 40% of foreign students had problems due to language barrier and the same number faced difficulties in obtaining some kind of information. 35% faced difficulties in receiving medical care, solving problems in the hostel, and satisfying their preferences in the public catering. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about the third European Russian Forum held by the European Russian Alliance. Representatives of Russian speaking diasporas from various European countries including Latvia took part in the Forum. The participants decided to appeal to the top officials of the Council of Europe, the European Commission and Russia, asking to grant the status of the EU regional language to Russian language, thus widening Russian languages rights in the EU countries.

Telegraf reports that the international organisation The Equal Rights Trust criticizes amendments to the Law on Pensions which stipulate reduction of pensions of Latvian citizens as a way to eliminate discrimination of non-citizens. As reported, years of employment outside of Latvia during Soviet times are included only into citizens total length of service, while, Latvian non-citizens do not receive pension for these years. As a response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in favour of a Latvian pensioner, non-citizen Natalija Andrejeva who objected this fact, the Saeima adopted the amendments which stipulate that the same approach will be used in calculating pensions for persons retiring after 1 January 2010 and the time of Soviet-era employment outside of Latvia will not be included neither for citizens nor non-citizens. The Equal Rights Trust believes that such regressive approach does not remedy discrimination, because it is contrary to Latvias international obligations and to the practice of the European Court of Justice.

 

• Associate professor of the Baltic International Academy Konstantins Matvejevs: non-citizens are expecting official apologies from the state

According to the associate professor of the Baltic International Academy Konstantins Matvejevs, non-citizens who are not planning to naturalise are expecting official apologies from the state (such as the Saeima’s resolution) for injustice of the decision that deprived them political rights. Mr. Matvejevs also states that a small group of non-citizens is planning to demand from the state a material compensation for damages incurred by persons who had to live as non-citizens

According to the associate professor of the Baltic International Academy Konstantins Matvejevs, non-citizens who are not planning to naturalise are expecting official apologies from the state (such as the Saeimas resolution) for injustice of the decision that deprived them political rights. Mr. Matvejevs also states that a small group of non-citizens is planning to demand from the state a material compensation for damages incurred by persons who had to live as non-citizens. Latvijas Avize

• Citizenship law will not be opened for amendments
• Interview with the Swedish Ambassador to Latvia Mats Staffansson

Latvijas Avize reports that Members of Saeima are pleased with the fact that Citizenship law will not be opened for amendments. Due to Latvian state budget cuts Naturalization Board will be merged to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, therefore, technical amendments to the law were expected. In the meantime, radical organizations did not hide their intentions to submit amendments to the law and according to MP Karlis Leiskalns (Peoples party) opening Citizenship law for amendments would result either in submission of unpleasant amendments or in prolonged process of adoption of 2010 Latvian state budget.

Swedish Ambassador to Latvia Mats Staffansson in the interview with

Swedish Ambassador to Latvia Mats Staffansson in the interview with Vesty Segodnya states that there is a significant change since his last assignment to Latvia in 1994. Both communities are closer connected than before. He points out that among other 27 EU countries Latvia is in a privileged status because large group of Latvian society can communicate in Russian, which is a very good sign especially in business field. Ambassador also believes that in 20 years the problem of non-citizens will be resolved, there will be loyal people living in Latvia and nobody will be interested in what language someone speaks at home.

• Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs: number of Russian citizens who live in Latvia is growing
• NRA prints interview with experts about growing emigration from Latvia

According to a representative of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, number of Russian citizens who live in Latvia is growing. Since January 2007, number of Russian citizens with residency permits in Latvia grew by 3,000 persons and now there are 30,718 Russian citizens officially living in Latvia.

According to a representative of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, number of Russian citizens who live in Latvia is growing. Since January 2007, number of Russian citizens with residency permits in Latvia grew by 3,000 persons and now there are 30,718 Russian citizens officially living in Latvia. Telegraf

NRA prints interview with migration researcher Mihails Hazans, economist Raita Karnite and film director Ivars Zviedrs (author of a documentary about Latvian guest workers in Ireland) about growing emigration from Latvia. Mrs. Karnite believes that the main reason for emigration is hard economical situation and low social guarantees to people in Latvia. Mr. Hazans believes that if Latvia does not improve the quality of its policies and social guarantees, the only way to compensate Latvias losses due to emigration is to attract foreign labour force.