• Chas reports about the EU draft program on refugees

Chas reports about the EU draft program on refugees according to which the EU countries will co-ordinate resettlement of refugees as a voluntary burden sharing between member states consisting of the transfer of refugees. According to a representative of the Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, Latvias position is that every country should decide independently whether to accept refugees or not.

• Vice-Mayor of the Riga City Council Ainars Slesers: foreigners who bought real estate in Latvia and invested at least EUR 300,000 in Latvian economy should be granted permanent residency permit

The Vice-Mayor of the Riga City Council Ainars Slesers considers that foreigners who bought real estate in Latvia and invested at least EUR 300,000 in Latvian economy should be granted permanent residency permit. Mr. Slesers considers that in such way Latvia could attract foreign investors and revive real estate market.

The Vice-Mayor of the Riga City Council Ainars Slesers considers that foreigners who bought real estate in Latvia and invested at least EUR 300,000 in Latvian economy should be granted permanent residency permit. Mr. Slesers considers that in such way Latvia could attract foreign investors and revive real estate market. Latvijas Avize

• Ombudsman Romans Apsitis appealed to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers calling to widen rights of non-citizens
• Saeima refused proposal to conduct re-qualification courses for unemployed persons also in Russian language
• Sarmite Elerte: Ethnic Latvians and ethnic Russians together should be afraid of Putins Russia

The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis appealed to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers calling to widen rights of non-citizens. Following the report of the Amnesty International which criticised the fact that citizens of other EU countries are granted more rights in Latvia than non-citizens who have closer ties with the country, the Ombudsman recommended to revise amount of rights granted to non-citizens in cases when certain rights are granted to the EU citizens.

The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis appealed to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers calling to widen rights of non-citizens. Following the report of the Amnesty International which criticised the fact that citizens of other EU countries are granted more rights in Latvia than non-citizens who have closer ties with the country, the Ombudsman recommended to revise amount of rights granted to non-citizens in cases when certain rights are granted to the EU citizens. Chas

Yesterday, the Saeima refused proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia to identify persons with insufficient Latvian language proficiency as a separate risk group and to conduct re-qualification courses for unemployed persons also in Russian language.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia to identify persons with insufficient Latvian language proficiency as a separate risk group and to conduct re-qualification courses for unemployed persons also in Russian language. Chas

“Ethnic Latvians should not be afraid of ethnic Russians living in Latvia, but together with Russians they should be afraid or at least wary of Putin’s Russia and pro-Moscow forces” - stated former editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper

Ethnic Latvians should not be afraid of ethnic Russians living in Latvia, but together with Russians they should be afraid or at least wary of Putins Russia and pro-Moscow forces - stated former editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Diena, head of the National Cultural Council Sarmite Elerte in an interview with Latvijas Avize.

• Vesti Segodnya interviews political scientist Juris Rozenvalds about ethnic division in Latvian politics
• Former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires criticize meeting of the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers with veterans of 130th Latvian Rifleman Corps
• Ambassador the Russian Federation to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov met with representatives of Russian NGOs in Daugavpils

Vesti Segodnya interviews political scientist Juris Rozenvalds about ethnic division in Latvian politics. According to Mr. Rozenvalds, right wing parties are considered as ethnic Latvian, while left-wing parties - as ethnic Russian despite the fact that party programs of the so-called right and left parties in many instances do not correspond to traditional definitions of right and left. Latvian residents vote for one or other party without looking into social economic programs of the parties. Mr. Rozenvalds also believes that the outcome of the next Saeima elections will depend on ability of ethnic Russian Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs to take diplomatic approach and maintain the balance of interests of both ethnic communities.

Former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires criticize meeting of the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers with two veterans of 130th Latvian Rifleman Corps and Latvian Red partisans, which during the WWII fought against the Nazis. The legionnaires also want to meet with the President in order to explain their view about the Second World War.

Former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires criticize meeting of the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers with two veterans of 130th Latvian Rifleman Corps and Latvian Red partisans, which during the WWII fought against the Nazis. The legionnaires also want to meet with the President in order to explain their view about the Second World War. Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov met with representatives of Russian NGOs in Daugavpils. The NGOs asked for financial support from Russia to help to maintain their activities.

Yesterday, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov met with representatives of Russian NGOs in Daugavpils. The NGOs asked for financial support from Russia to help to maintain their activities. Chas

• MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka duscussed with the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Cyril problems and achievements of Russian residents living in the EU
• Telegraf features an interview with the new U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber
• Telegraf prints an article about closure of schools in Latvia

The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka met with the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Cyril in order to discuss problems and achievements of Russian residents living in the EU.  The Patriarch positively evaluated increased number of Russians among authorities in European countries and supported activities of NGOs protecting rights of Russian speaking residents.

The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka met with the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Cyril in order to discuss problems and achievements of Russian residents living in the EU. The Patriarch positively evaluated increased number of Russians among authorities in European countries and supported activities of NGOs protecting rights of Russian speaking residents. Chas

Telegraf features an interview with the new U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber. Mrs. Garber believes that work of Latvian government on integration of various minorities in the society was excellent. According to the Ambassador, the United States will continue to support Latvia in issues integration and promotion of tolerance.

Telegraf prints an article about closure of schools in Latvia. The Ministry of Education coordinated closure of 36 schools in Latvia starting with 1 September 2009. 12 of those schools are with Russian language of instructions. According to the MP Jakovs Pliners (FHRUL), the most painful is closure of Russian schools in the province because education in Russian language in Latvian regions is almost degenerated.