• Study Challenge for Civic Participation: majority of Latvian mass media continue to actively cultivate the image of an enemy
• Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins issued a decree to change the requirements for applicants for the post of the director of the State Language Centre excluding requirement for Russian language proficiency
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with two Russian speaking youths

The Centre for Public Policy „Providus” presented results of the third part of a study Challenge for Civic Participation (January – July 2009.) According to the study, the majority of Latvian mass media continue to actively cultivate the image of an enemy. Russian-speaking residents is the group most frequently subject to intolerant statements.  

The Centre for Public Policy „Providus presented results of the third part of a study Challenge for Civic Participation (January – July 2009.) According to the study, the majority of Latvian mass media continue to actively cultivate the image of an enemy. Russian-speaking residents is the group most frequently subject to intolerant statements. Latvijas Avize, NRA and Vesti Segodnya come out as most intolerant newspapers, while newspapers Telegraf, Chas and Diena are considered to maintain most objective position. Telegraf

Latvijas Avize reports that the Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins issued a decree to change the requirements for applicants for the post of the director of the State Language Centre (SLC) excluding requirement for Russian language proficiency. The Minister agrees with the ex-head of the SLC Dzinta Hirsa that the requirement for the Russian language proficiency contradicts the state language policy and Russian is not needed for execution of work duties. At the same time, proficiency in English will remain as one of the requirements.

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with two Russian speaking youths who recently finished high school and received Latvian citizenship through naturalisation.

• NRA prints an article about emigration of Roma people from Latvia

NRA prints an article about emigration of Roma people from Latvia. Roma representatives interviewed by the newspaper state that Roma people are forced to leave Latvia because of increase of racism towards them and economic crisis. According to the head of the Roma NGO Nevo Drom Anatolijs Berezovskis, about 10,000 Roma have already left Latvia (mostly to the UK), and the same number remain in Latvia but considering leaving the country.

• Ombudsman Romans Apsitis denies criticism

Yesterday, the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis issued a statement about conflict with employees

Yesterday, the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis issued a statement about conflict with employees who demanded his resignation. Mr. Apsitis denied all criticism accusing them of dishonest actions. At the meantime, several NGOs Latvian Centre for Human Rights, Transparency International Latvia - Delna and Resource Centre for Women Marta sent a letter to the head of the Saeimas Human Rights Committee calling upon the MPs to evaluate the effectiveness of the Ombudsman Offices activities. Diena

• Ministry of Education and Science prepared proposals on easing state language proficiency certificate requirements
• Telegraf prints opinions about conflict between the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis and his subordinates
• Concord Centre (SC) denies that its deputies have insufficient state language proficiency

Telegraf reports that the Ministry of Education and Science prepared proposals on easing state language proficiency certificate requirements. The Ministry proposes to extend language proficiency examination deadlines, because the Education Content and Examination Centre is unable to process all examination applications by the currently envisaged deadlines. The Ministry also proposes to free from language proficiency certificate requirements elder people who are incapable to learn Latvian language and those who have certain health problems. At the same time, the Saeimas faction For Human Rights in United Latvia appealed to the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis also proposing to revise and ease state language attestation process.

Telegraf prints opinions about conflict between the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis and his subordinates who demanded his resignation. Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris considers that during two years in the Office Romans Apsitis was not active enough and that he should have been more assertive in relations with authorities. The MP Boris Cilevics (Concord Centre) believes that Mr. Apsitis performed better than expected. For instance, Mr. Apsitis had strict position on rights of non-citizens and language issues. The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka (FHRUL) positively evaluates the Ombudsmans activities stressing that he held back nationalistic positions.

Latvijas Avize reports that the Riga City Councils faction the Concord Centre (SC) denies assertion of a deputy from the New Era Edgars Jaunups that some of the SC deputies have insufficient Latvian language proficiency. According to the SC factions head Nikolajs Zaharovs, those SC deputies who have low state language proficiency are improving their skills.

• Political scientist Ilze Ostrovska: ethnic Latvians believe that isolation of Russian speaking residents from state power is necessary in order to prevent return of Soviet power

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with political scientist Ilze Ostrovska. Mrs. Ostrovska considers that many ethnic Latvians believe that isolation of Russian speaking residents from state power is necessary in order to prevent return of Soviet power. Mrs. Ostrovska believes that Latvian authorities missed the time when Russian speaking residents could be integrated, because now Russian speakers do not want to be integrated anymore. According to Mrs. Ostrovska, the last moment when Russian speakers wanted to integrate passed in 2004 (when minority education schools had to switch to instruction mainly in Latvian): Russians were seeking support of ethnic Latvians but did not find it.