• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga promulgated the Law on the Status of EU Permanent Resident
• Seven Somalians released from the camp for illegal immigrants
• Case on the alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board forwarded to the Riga Regional Court

On Thursday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga promulgated the Law on the EU Permanent Resident Status. As reported, the Law includes provisions which stipulate that third country nationals, including Latvian non-citizens, shall be subjected to several requirements, in particular demonstrate Latvian language skills, prove that they are permanent residents of Latvia, and pay the state fee in order to receive the status of EU permanent resident. In June, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the law back to the Saeima for its repeated revision arguing that Latvian non-citizens should not be included in one category together with third country nationals as according to effective Latvian legal norms they have specific rights. However, the Saeima adopted the Law without changes.

On Thursday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga promulgated the Law on the EU Permanent Resident Status. As reported, the Law includes provisions which stipulate that third country nationals, including Latvian non-citizens, shall be subjected to several requirements, in particular demonstrate Latvian language skills, prove that they are permanent residents of Latvia, and pay the state fee in order to receive the status of EU permanent resident. In June, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the law back to the Saeima for its repeated revision arguing that Latvian non-citizens should not be included in one category together with third country nationals as according to effective Latvian legal norms they have specific rights. However, the Saeima adopted the Law without changes. Chas, NRA

On Friday, the Latvian State Boarder Guard released seven Somalians from the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants without providing any other place to stay.  A representative of the Boarder Guard stated that according to effective legal norms regarding migration, asylum seekers and refugees they are not entitled to either to provide board for the seven Somalians as of  8 July or any other assistance. The lawyer of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights comments that the situation is nothing new and reveals serious gaps in Latvian legal norms in the field. As, reported the seven Somalians – including 3 minors - arrived in Latvia in August 2005 and since then have been unsuccessfully going through asylum seeker procedures.

On Friday, the Latvian State Boarder Guard released seven Somalians from the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants without providing any other place to stay. A representative of the Boarder Guard stated that according to effective legal norms regarding migration, asylum seekers and refugees they are not entitled to either to provide board for the seven Somalians as of 8 July or any other assistance. The lawyer of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights comments that the situation is nothing new and reveals serious gaps in Latvian legal norms in the field. As, reported the seven Somalians – including 3 minors - arrived in Latvia in August 2005 and since then have been unsuccessfully going through asylum seeker procedures. Diena

On Friday, the Prosecutor General Office forwarded a case on the alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board to the Riga Regional Court. The head of the Valmiera’s branch of the Naturalization Board, the head of the headquarters of Riga Municipality Police and an entrepreneur are charged for receiving bribes for helping to receive Latvian citizenship.

On Friday, the Prosecutor General Office forwarded a case on the alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board to the Riga Regional Court. The head of the Valmieras branch of the Naturalization Board, the head of the headquarters of Riga Municipality Police and an entrepreneur are charged for receiving bribes for helping to receive Latvian citizenship. NRA, Chas

• Latvijas Vestnesis features an interview with leader of the Romani NGO Gloss Leons Gindra

Latvijas Vestnesis features an interview with leader of the Romani NGO Gloss Leons Gindra. Mr. Gindra talked about main tasks of his organisation, namely, implementation of the programme aimed at the improvement of the living condition of Roma and the situation of Roma in the fields of education, employment, health and culture. Mr. Gindra argued that poor living conditions faced by Roma lead to illegitimate actions, therefore, the main focus of the programme should be on ensuring equal opportunities in the job market.

• International experts recognize Latvias contribution in the Holocaust education and research work
• Director of the Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs of the Integration Secretariat Irina Vinnik: naturalisation should be simplified for non-citizens

Yesterday, a high-level international conference “Holocaust: Memory and Lesson” was held in Riga. Participants discussed various aspects related to the Holocaust, including education about the Holocaust and dealing with anti-Semitism. Participants recognized Latvia’s, in particular the Historian Committee’s under auspices of the President contribution to the Holocaust education and research.

Yesterday, a high-level international conference Holocaust: Memory and Lesson was held in Riga. Participants discussed various aspects related to the Holocaust, including education about the Holocaust and dealing with anti-Semitism. Participants recognized Latvias, in particular the Historian Committees under auspices of the President contribution to the Holocaust education and research. Diena

The Director of the Integration Secretariat’s Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Irina Vinnik in an interview with

The Director of the Integration Secretariats Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Irina Vinnik in an interview with Vesti Segodnya stated that easier naturalization process could decrease the large number of non-citizens in Latvia and promote their participation in elections. Irina Vinnik argued that those non-citizens who where born and have grown up in Latvia should be subjected to lesser examinations.

• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga: Latvian government will do everything to combat ethnic and racial intolerance
• Study about diversity in schools with Latvian as the main language of instruction presented
• Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the representatives of the Latvian Polish Union

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga at the commemoration event of the Victims of Genocide against Jewish Nation held in Riga, stated that the Latvian government will accomplish everything to combat intolerance between nations and racism. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks stated that the genocide against Jews was a crime against humanity. Artis Pabriks voiced that the present and next generations have to do everything to prevent such events in future.

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga at the commemoration event of the Victims of Genocide against Jewish Nation held in Riga, stated that the Latvian government will accomplish everything to combat intolerance between nations and racism. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks stated that the genocide against Jews was a crime against humanity. Artis Pabriks voiced that the present and next generations have to do everything to prevent such events in future. Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, a study “Diversity comes into schools with Latvian as a main language of instruction” was presented by the public policy centre “Providus.” The study is based on interviews and opinion polls with students and teachers, including minority, from a number of Latvian schools. The main conclusions of the study is that there are no serious discrepancies in the academic achievement level and feeling of satisfactions with studies between students of Latvian origin and others. However, the study reveals that integration of non-Latvian students into Latvian schools is hampered by lack of multicultural training and skills of teachers.

Yesterday, a study Diversity comes into schools with Latvian as a main language of instruction was presented by the public policy centre Providus. The study is based on interviews and opinion polls with students and teachers, including minority, from a number of Latvian schools. The main conclusions of the study is that there are no serious discrepancies in the academic achievement level and feeling of satisfactions with studies between students of Latvian origin and others. However, the study reveals that integration of non-Latvian students into Latvian schools is hampered by lack of multicultural training and skills of teachers. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

More about the study in Latvian:

More about the study in Latvian: http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=10070

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with representatives of the Latvian Polish Union about the problems and activities of the Polish community in Latvia.

• Study Topical Aspects of Social Integration
• Diena prints an article on the Holocaust by the Holocaust researcher Jehuda Bauer
• Society Integration Foundation announced a tender for providing Latvian language learning courses
• Festivity of Slavic Writing and Culture in Liepaja

Yesterday, the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration presented a study “Topical Aspects of Social Integration” conducted by the Marketing and Public Opinion Research Centre “SKDS.” The study shows attitudes of Latvian residents towards integration issues. According to the results only 9% of the residents believe that Latvian society is stable enough. 32% of the respondents consider that Latvian citizenship should be granted automatically and 27 % consider that the naturalisation procedure is humiliating.  The majority of the respondents also believe that better living standards would have positive impact on the level of integration.

Yesterday, the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration presented a study Topical Aspects of Social Integration conducted by the Marketing and Public Opinion Research Centre SKDS. The study shows attitudes of Latvian residents towards integration issues. According to the results only 9% of the residents believe that Latvian society is stable enough. 32% of the respondents consider that Latvian citizenship should be granted automatically and 27 % consider that the naturalisation procedure is humiliating. The majority of the respondents also believe that better living standards would have positive impact on the level of integration. Vesti Segodnya

Today Latvia marks the Rremembrance Day of the Victims of Genocide against the Jewish Nation. Jehuda Bauer provides a number of arguments why the Holocaust should be used as a tool in educating youth about discrimination, racism and genocide. He concludes that we all are endangered by hatred of other ethnic, religious, racial groups, cultures or civilizations and that this hatred has very deep roots and is difficult to eliminate. According to Bauer, the first step would be an agreement on providing education on genocide where the Holocaust would be studied as a precedent. 

Today Latvia marks the Rremembrance Day of the Victims of Genocide against the Jewish Nation. Jehuda Bauer provides a number of arguments why the Holocaust should be used as a tool in educating youth about discrimination, racism and genocide. He concludes that we all are endangered by hatred of other ethnic, religious, racial groups, cultures or civilizations and that this hatred has very deep roots and is difficult to eliminate. According to Bauer, the first step would be an agreement on providing education on genocide where the Holocaust would be studied as a precedent.

On Friday, the Society Integration Foundation announced a tender for provision of Latvian language courses for adults. The Director of Latvia’s People’s School in an interview with

On Friday, the Society Integration Foundation announced a tender for provision of Latvian language courses for adults. The Director of Latvias Peoples School in an interview with Diena stated that the demand for free of charge courses from non-Latvians is very high, however, the state has granted only Ls 60,000 (EUR 85,372) this year which is four times less in comparison to last years funding.

The Festivity of Slavic Writing and Culture organised by the Liepaja Ukrainian Union was held in Liepaja.

The Festivity of Slavic Writing and Culture organised by the Liepaja Ukrainian Union was held in Liepaja. Chas