Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Head of the Delegation of the European Commission invites the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform to the discussion
• Latvian National TV airs the show about Latvian language learning
• Minority dance and song groups take part in the National Song and Dance Festival
• New regulations of the Riga City Council prohibits fortune-telling on the streets

Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Latvia Andrew Rasbash responded to the statement of the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform. Andrew Rasbash has expressed a wish to meet with the representatives of the Headquarter to talk about the issues discussed in the statement released by the Headquarter. The Head of the Delegation wants to ensure better understanding of opinions represented by all members of society towards Latvias accession into the EU. Vesti Segodnya

Diena reports about the TV show Open which talks about issues concerning language learning. The show is aired on the national channel and is produced in co-operation with the Soros Foundation Latvia project Open School. The first show discussed experience and problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia when studying Latvian.

Diena

reports that this year minority dance and song groups will participate in the Latvian National Song and Dance Festival. It will be only the second time in the whole 130-years history of the Festival that minority dance and song groups will perform in the Festival. Diena talks to representatives of Tartar and Russian song groups and their emotions and impressions about the Festival. Neatkariga, Chas

The new regulations of the Riga City Council stipulate that fortune-telling in not allowed on the street. Roma women inquired are not planning to stop their business and state that not all Roma are cheaters. Vechernaya Riga

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

• Officials of the State Language Centre about Latvias accession to the EU

• PHP MP Yakov Pliner sent an open letter to the President regarding her role in the education reform
• Interview with the Head of the ASRSL Igor Pimenov
• Interview with chaplain working in the woman prison in Riga

In the column For or Against the EU? Lauku Avize provides opinions of employees of the State Language Centre. A state language inspector states that she is against Latvias accession to the EU because she hates Europe with all its commissioners while there are such persons as Max van der Stoel I am not able to vote for the EU. She believes that Latvia is yielding to all requirements set by Europe and is not able to defend its interests. The Director of the State Language Centre Agris Timuska says that he supports Latvias accession to the EU, however, on some conditions, for example, more attention should be paid to the protection of national interests and additional guarantees for the Latvian language should be ensured.

Peoples Harmony Party MP Yakov Pliner sent an open letter to the Latvian President and asked her to take part in the discussion about the education reform. He decided to send the letter because before the presidential elections in the meeting with MPs of the Peoples Harmony Party the Latvian President admitted that she supported the education reform because the Ministry of Education had told her that the reform was broadly discussed among students, teachers and parents. Yakov Pliner believes that the President was misled. Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vechernaya Riga interviews the Head of the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov. He states that there is no split in the Headquarter, however, there are different opinions about the necessary strategy. He says that interests of both communities Russian and Latvian should be in balance. He reports about the planned activities of the ASRSL in the future: 1) the Association considers a possibility to organise a boycott of classes; 2) another, even bigger mass protest meeting is under preparation.

Rigas Balss

features an article about the activities of chaplain Rudite Losane in the woman prison in Riga. One of the inmates who attend services is Roma. In the woman prison there are many Roma women that are sentenced for dealing with drugs. Chaplain says, I do not want to say that Roma are bad but they are easy to fool because they are not educated.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Many soldiers do not have sufficient Latvian language skills
• Interview with Latvian language teacher who teaches adults

According to the data provided by sociologist of the National Programme for Latvian Language Training Sintija Smite 25-30% of draftees do not have sufficient Latvian language skills to serve in the Latvian army. Even after language courses the majority of them understand orders only after the third time. 40% of soldiers in the Latvian army are ethnic Russians.

According to the data provided by sociologist of the National Programme for Latvian Language Training Sintija Smite 25-30% of draftees do not have sufficient Latvian language skills to serve in the Latvian army. Even after language courses the majority of them understand orders only after the third time. 40% of soldiers in the Latvian army are ethnic Russians. Diena

Vechernaya Riga

talks to Latvian language teacher of adults Gita Umanovskaya. She states that in the late 80-ies people studied Latvian because they really wanted to learn the language and were ready to pay for the courses themselves, while the period after the adoption of the State Language Law, when people came to study the state language not because they wanted to, but our of fear, was the most unpleasant in her carrier. Gita Umanovskaya believes that it was necessary to adopt the State Language Law as now Latvians themselves speak more correct Latvian and there are many non-Latvians who learned the state language. talks to Latvian language teacher of adults Gita Umanovskaya. She states that in the late 80-ies people studied Latvian because they really wanted to learn the language and were ready to pay for the courses themselves, while the period after the adoption of the State Language Law, when people came to study the state language not because they wanted to, but our of fear, was the most unpleasant in her carrier. Gita Umanovskaya believes that it was necessary to adopt the State Language Law as now Latvians themselves speak more correct Latvian and there are many non-Latvians who learned the state language.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Article about Russian identity in Latvia
• Attitude of Latvians and non-Latvians towards Latvias accession to the EU
• MP signs the statement of the National Front
• Integration and Education Ministers see threats in the statements released by the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform
• Lauku Avize
reproaches Integration Minister for not responding to non-democratic articles in the Russian language press
• Interview with integration expert Aleksandr Brandavs

Diena

features an article Problems with Russian Identity in Latvia by Aldis Rozentals whose ethnic background is Russian, however, he identifies himself with Latvians. He describes four types of identities and believes that bi-ethnic identity when an individual has high level of identification with both his/her ethnic group and another group is the best in Latvias situation. He believes that opponents of the education reform will reach only deeper alienation and run the risk of becoming unwanted people in Latvia. Aldis Rozentals concludes that protest activities against the education reform should make the state review the situation in the field of education and start take actions.

Dienas

supplement Sestdiena features an article about residents of a multi-storey building in one of suburbs of Riga and their attitude towards the EU. About a half of the residents surveyed are non-Latvians and the majority of them are non-citizens. Some Latvians state that they will vote against the EU because they believe that prices will grow but their income will remain the same and that Latvia is not ready for the EU. One of inquired Latvians works for the Secretariat of Social Integration. He is a Euro-optimist and believes that in the end Latvian politicians will realise that non-citizens should be given the right to participate in municipal elections. Opinions of Russians and non-citizens surveyed differ as well. Some of them believe that Latvias accession to the EU will bring more positive changes in the field of minority rights. The author of the article concludes that although the referendum is close, many people do not have a very clear picture of the EU. According to the poll conducted by the Latvijas fakti 61.1 Latvians and 56.6 citizens would vote for the EU in April.

The MP of the Union of the Greens and Farmers Ulme has signed a statement of the National Front led by Aivars Garda. The statement calls on foreign countries to immediately start de-occupation of Latvia - civilised repatriation of occupants to their ethnic motherland. Ulme denies that he wants to repatriate occupants, however, he has signed the statement which demands recognition of the occupation of Latvia. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Education and Integration Ministers treat the warning of opponents of the education reform as threats. The opponents of the reform stated that they hope that Latvia will not go through the tragic experience of Macedonia, Olster and Kosovo in the field of education. The Head of the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov agrees that such statements hamper the dialogue between the government and the Headquarter. The Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis evaluates the statement as extreme irresponsibility, a hidden call to violence and one more testimony that the dialogue is not built on a professional but on a political level. MPs of the New Era and the Peoples Party Krisjanis Karins and Dzintars Abikis do not see threats in the statement. Diena, Lauku Avize

Lauku Avize

reproaches the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks for not responding to publications in the press which in the view of Lauku Avize kindles national hatred and voices non-democratic ideas.

Chas

interviews the Advisor of the Integration Minister Aleksandr Brandavs. He stresses that now the government pays more attention to the issues concerning consolidation of society and the formation of the Secretariat for Integration Affairs was the first step. Brandavs reaffirms that there will be no zero citizenship and that non-citizens should naturalise to become full-fledged residents of the country. In the closest future the Secretariat is planning to form the Riga multicultural centre.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• EU allots EUR 2 million for integration and civil society development projects
• Russia presents 55,000 books to schools in Latvia
• Vechernaya Riga
interviews PHP MP Boris Tsilevich
• Headquarter of organisers of protest activities against the education reform dissatisfied with the attitude of officials

For the first time the EU has allotted such a big amount for the implementation of projects aimed at ethnic and social integration and development of civil society. The allotted amount is EUR 2 million. The Integration Foundation is in the charge of administration of money and has already announced the tender of projects.

For the first time the EU has allotted such a big amount for the implementation of projects aimed at ethnic and social integration and development of civil society. The allotted amount is EUR 2 million. The Integration Foundation is in the charge of administration of money and has already announced the tender of projects. Diena, Neatkariga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Russia has presented 55,000 books to schools in Latvia. The head of the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov is particularly delighted that 1/10 of schools which requested these books are Latvian schools. Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Telegraf

Vechernaya Riga

features an interview with Peoples Harmony Party Boris Tsilevich about the education reform of minority schools in Latvia. The newspaper starts the article with conclusion that many people are disappointed with the policies of European organisations. He explains the key tasks of some organisations, such as the EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The newspaper notes that the OSCE Mission to Latvia was closed just before the conflict regarding the education reform started to develop, however, Boris Tsilevich believes that some, albeit small, progress has been made regarding the education reform and that people should not expect miracles from Europe. He believes that negotiations containing compromises could be a solution in this situation.

Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

and Telegraf print the statement released by the Headquarter of organisers of protest activities against the education reform. It states that a number of protest activities and 82,000 signatures collected against the education reform clearly show the attitude of Russian-speaking population towards the reform. It expresses dissatisfaction with the attitude of officials, in particular, the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis, towards building a dialogue with the Headquarter.