Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Capacity of NGOs to administer EU funding allotted for ethnic integration
• Association for the Support for Russian Schools held a press conference yesterday – the Headquarter calls on people to attend rallies outside embassy buildings
• Delegation of the Moscow municipality visits Riga
• Russia reproaches Latvia for the situation of Russian-speakers in the country

Diena

features an article about the capacity of Latvias NGOs to implement ethnic integration projects, which are funded by the Integration Foundation and the EU. NGOs, which projects won last year, admit that although all of them have experience with international projects, acquisition of EU funding and its administration requires considerable effort. The Integration Foundation expresses its concern whether this year there will be a sufficient number of good and well-elaborated projects as EU funding this year is much bigger than last year. None of the NGOs which received funding last year was a minority NGO. The Director of the Integration Foundation Nils Sakss stresses that if minority NGOs can find a partner – a municipality or bigger NGO – their lack of experience with big projects is not an obstacle to receive funding.

Yesterday the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia held a press conference. It stated If the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis does not have intentions to build a dialogue, we have a hope that we will be able to build a dialogue with European institutions. Today the Association will organise protest activities outside the buildings of foreign embassies and international institutions. Chas

Vesti Segodnya

reports about the meeting of the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Andrew Rasbash with the representatives of the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform. The Head of the Delegation did not promise any quick solution to the issue and noted that education issues are very sensitive in many European countries as well.

Vesti Segodnya

prints an advertisment Yes to Schools – Yes to Europe, No to Schools – No to Europe which calls on people to come to the embassies of foreign countries (Italy, France and Germany) today and protest against the education reform.

Yesterday the two-day working visit of the Moscow municipality delegation was launched in Riga. Chas

Yesterday at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE the Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov stated that Russia is particularly concerned with the situation in Latvia where the government is planning to implement the education reform which stipulates that studies at secondary Russian schools will be held in Latvian. He believes that national parliaments of European countries should take actions towards Latvia and Estonia to protect the rights of Russian-speakers in these countries. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

Lauku Avize

comments on the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held last week

Chas provides practices of the EU countries regarding minority education

Lauku Avize

reports on the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held last week during which the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia was discussed. Lauku Avize stresses that there was no representative from Latvia except oppositions party MP Andrey Klementyev who could defend the positions of Latvia. The Head of the Latvian Delegation, MP of the Latvian First Party Eriks Jekabsons was not present at the session. He hopes that there will not be any serious consequences and the OSCE Mission will not be re-established in Latvia.

Chas

argues against the statements of the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis and Chairperson of the New Era Saeima faction Krishjanis Karinsh that European policy does not provide that minority education should be ensured from the state budget, therefore Latvia does not have to allot money to finance minority education. The newspaper gives examples of various EU countries, such as Finland, Norway, Spain etc., where minorities study in their languages for free.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Russia will criticise Latvia in the OSCE PA
• Chas features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia
• Response to the article about Russian identities in Latvia

Chas, Vesti Segodnya

report that the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov is planning to give a speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE with the aim to harshly criticise the minority situation in Latvia. report that the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov is planning to give a speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE with the aim to harshly criticise the minority situation in Latvia.

Chas

features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia and the study on the reasons why non-citizens do not want to naturalise. The author of the article believes that the most effective measure to decrease the great number of non-citizens in Latvia is to award Latvian citizenship everybody who was born in the country irrespectively of the time when s/he was born. features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia and the study on the reasons why non-citizens do not want to naturalise. The author of the article believes that the most effective measure to decrease the great number of non-citizens in Latvia is to award Latvian citizenship everybody who was born in the country irrespectively of the time when s/he was born.

Diena

features an article by the journalist Yuriy Zubkov. The article is a response to the publication by Aldis Rozentals Russian Identities in Latvia. Zubkov opposes the stance of Aldis Rozentals and states that he does not have any of three identification types indicated by Rozentals although Zubkov is Russian as well. He also objects to the interpretation of the term assimilation which according to Rozentals could be volunteering. features an article by the journalist Yuriy Zubkov. The article is a response to the publication by Aldis Rozentals “Russian Identities in Latvia.” Zubkov opposes the stance of Aldis Rozentals and states that he does not have any of three identification types indicated by Rozentals although Zubkov is Russian as well. He also objects to the interpretation of the term “assimilation” which according to Rozentals could be volunteering. The public policy portal "politika.lv" prints a number of reports concerning integration and minority issues:

The public policy portal "politika.lv" prints a number of reports concerning integration and minority issues:

"Protecting Minorities in Europe. A Briefing Paper: From Analysis to Action" by Minority Rights Group International.

"The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. APolicy Analysis" written by Alan Phillips and financed by Minority RightsGroup International.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Shabanov about the two community situation in Latvia
• Russian MoFA criticises the minority situation in the Baltic Countries
• Lauku Avize
dissatisfied with the response of the Integration Minister Nils Muiznieks
• Education Minister disagrees with the jury about the first prize winner in the essay contest about language

Diena

features an article by Aleksandr Shabanov about relations between the two communities in Latvia – Russians and Latvians. Herefers to the opinion poll conducted by the company SKDS which indicates that respondents (especially in the age group 18-24) believe that the two communities will remain non-integrated also in the future. He stresses the important role politicians and journalists play in forming peoples stances towards the country and its language. The Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov repeatedly called the attention of the EU presidency country Greece to the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia, in particular, to the education reform in Latvia

The Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov repeatedly called the attention of the EU presidency country Greece to the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia, in particular, to the education reform in Latvia. Diena

Lauku Avize

publishes the response of the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks to the reproaches of the newspaper. Lauku Avize reproached Nils Muiznieks for keeping silent and not responding to some publications printed in the Russian language press. The Minister replied that his stance is clearly reflected in his interview with Lauku Avize in January. However, Lauku Avize considers the attitude of the Minister as neglectful and questions whether it is the attitude of the whole government towards integration issues. publishes the response of the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks to the reproaches of the newspaper. Lauku Avize reproached Nils Muiznieks for keeping silent and not responding to some publications printed in the Russian language press. The Minister replied that his stance is clearly reflected in his interview with “Lauku Avize” in January. However, “Lauku Avize” considers the attitude of the Minister as neglectful and questions whether it is the attitude of the whole government towards integration issues.

Vesti Segodnya

reports that the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis disagreed with other members of the jury that evaluated essays submitted by young people for the contest The Borders of My Language – the Borders of My World organised by the MoE, the public policy centre Providus and the public policy portal politika.lv. The Minister stated that the essay which was highly evaluated by other members of the jury do not foster social integration. reports that the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis disagreed with other members of the jury that evaluated essays submitted by young people for the contest “The Borders of My Language – the Borders of My World” organised by the MoE, the public policy centre “Providus” and the public policy portal “politika.lv”. The Minister stated that the essay which was highly evaluated by other members of the jury do not foster social integration.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Vechernaya Riga
looks into ineffective Latvian laws
• Interview with the President of the Parex Bank Valery Kargin
• Minority school graduates not very active in using their results of the centralised Latvian language examination when naturalising
• Interview with minority language expert Fernande de Varennes

Vechernaya Riga

features an article about those Latvian laws, which turned out to be ineffective and actually are not needed and do not work in the situation of Latvia. One of such laws is the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on issuing financial compensations to persons who leave for their ethnic homelands. The regulations stipulated that a person who returns to his/her ethnic homeland receives a compensation in the amount of LVL 2000 (USD 3521), but s/he has to leave her apartment in the possession of the state. However, the prices in the market are much higher for apartments. The author of the article concludes that actually majority of Latvian laws have a good quality, however, there are problems with their implementation. The author notes that state language inspectors should be treated as an example what concerns conducting control over the implementation of law. features an article about those Latvian laws, which turned out to be ineffective and actually are not needed and do not work in the situation of Latvia. One of such laws is the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on issuing financial compensations to persons who leave for their ethnic homelands. The regulations stipulated that a person who returns to his/her ethnic homeland receives a compensation in the amount of LVL 2000 (USD 3521), but s/he has to leave her apartment in the possession of the state. However, the prices in the market are much higher for apartments. The author of the article concludes that actually majority of Latvian laws have a good quality, however, there are problems with their implementation. The author notes that state language inspectors should be treated as an example what concerns conducting control over the implementation of law.

Chas

re-prints an interview with the President of the Parex Bank Valery Kargin given for the ITAR-TASS. According to the magazine Business Week Valery Kargin is the richest person in Latvia. He states that Latvia is a two-community country where two communities – Latvians and Russians – are living together peacefully in two separate environments and that it will not be possible to change the situation with forcible methods. He admits that on the whole the government acts in compliance with European standards under the close supervision of the European Commission. Regarding education issues, Kargin believes that it would be the best that all minorities could study in their native languages. He says that nationalism in the business sphere of Latvia does not work and attempts to establish Latvian or Russian businesses have failed. re-prints an interview with the President of the Parex Bank Valery Kargin given for the ITAR-TASS. According to the magazine “Business Week” Valery Kargin is the richest person in Latvia. He states that Latvia is a two-community country where two communities – Latvians and Russians – are living together peacefully in two separate environments and that it will not be possible to change the situation with forcible methods. He admits that on the whole the government acts in compliance with European standards under the close supervision of the European Commission. Regarding education issues, Kargin believes that it would be the best that all minorities could study in their native languages. He says that nationalism in the business sphere of Latvia does not work and attempts to establish Latvian or Russian businesses have failed.

Chas

reports that since last year secondary school graduates who are non-Latvians are given a possibility to present their results of the centralised examination in the Latvian language instead of taking the Latvian language test when applying for the Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. According to the data of the Naturalisation Board last year only 91 out of 7501 (it should be admitted that not all of 7501 are non-citizens) graduates took this opportunity. The Naturalisation Board believes that the small number of applicants is explained by the lack of information. reports that since last year secondary school graduates who are non-Latvians are given a possibility to present their results of the centralised examination in the Latvian language instead of taking the Latvian language test when applying for the Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. According to the data of the Naturalisation Board last year only 91 out of 7501 (it should be admitted that not all of 7501 are non-citizens) graduates took this opportunity. The Naturalisation Board believes that the small number of applicants is explained by the lack of information.

Vesti Segodnya

interviews Dr.jur. Fernande de Verannes about language rights of minorities. He agrees that the European Union increases the level of minority protection, while Latvia decreases. He believes that children should study in their native languages and foreign languages should study as individual subjects. However, he agrees that the Latvian and Estonian languages are under threat. interviews Dr.jur. Fernande de Verannes about language rights of minorities. He agrees that the European Union increases the level of minority protection, while Latvia decreases. He believes that children should study in their native languages and foreign languages should study as individual subjects. However, he agrees that the Latvian and Estonian languages are under threat.