• Diena features couple article about the Holocaust in Latvia
• Civil Society Council has launched its activities
• Chas columnist comments on the discussion among the Integration Minister and press journalists
• Telegraf interviews Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre

Diena features an article by Daiga Zvaigznite, Head of the NGO Friends of Jews, about the Holocaust in Latvia in the II World War and the role of Latvians in it. She admits that unfortunately there were Latvians who participated in the Holocaust, however, she notes that there were also people who helped and saved Jews. She concludes with the call to teach children to respect and love members of other nations. The daily also features an article about two Latvian women who saved Jews in the Holocaust.

Latvijas Avize reports that Friday the Social Integration Minister Ainars Latkovskis opened the first session of the Civil Society Council. The Head of the Council is the State Secretary of the Integration Minister Kristine Vagnere and the key task of the Council is to provide consultations to the Secretariat on issues regarding the formation of civil society. The Council consists of 20 members: state officials, representatives of municipalities and NGOs, however, none of the members, named by the newspaper, are representatives of minority NGOs.

Chas columnist Leonids Fedoseyevs writes about a discussion held by the National Radio. The participants of the discussion were the Social Integration Minister Ainars Latkovskis and journalists of Russian and Latvian press. The columnist stresses that the Integration Minister was not able to answer to a number of questions and stresses that by the term ‘integration of Latvian society the Minister understands only integration of non-Latvians into the Latvian society. Leonids Fedoseyevs concludes that there is no interest in integration issues at the highest political level.

Telegraf talks to the Speaker of Saiema Ingrida Udre. When asked about the shortage of employees in a number of spheres in Latvia, Ingrida Udre admits that there is shortage of qualified specialists in some areas, for instance, IT, construction and that working force could be find in the Ukraine and Belorussia. Discussions have been hold about possible strategies towards this working force: whether it is better that these people come to Latvia, earn money and go home or stay and integrate into the Russian society.

• Communication Department of the University of Latvia wants to see more Russians among its students
• Short stories about participants of the National Pupils Song and Dance Festival

Chas talks to the Head of the Communication Department of the University of Latvia Inta Brikse. The Head of the Department states that she was surprised that this year very few graduates of Russian school expressed the wish to become students of the Department. Inta Brikse stresses that they are very happy to see Russians among Departments students as the Departments task is to ‘support Russian journalism. She reports that studies are in Latvian, however, students are not forced to write all works in Latvian and recently the Department has also acquired academic literature in Russian.

NRAs weekly supplement We features an article about several participants of the Pupils Song and Dance Festival whose ethnic identity is other than Latvian. The Pupils Song and Dance Festival takes place once in four years and gathers about 35,000 pupils in Riga from all regions.

• Integration Minister about possibility to grant Latvian non-citizens any additional rights
• Presidents Advisor Sols Bukingolts about intolerance in Latvian society
• Head of the Israeli delegation to Latvia about relations between Latvia and Israel
• Vesti Segodnya re-prints excerpts from the article in the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau about Latvia
• Ratio of Latvians is growing in Latvia

Telegraf talks to the Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis. Regarding the recent call of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to provide a possibility for nationals of third countries to travel without a visa in EU countries, the Minister states that a possibility to travel without a visa is among the key reasons which motivate Latvian non-citizens to apply for Latvian citizenship and ‘it would be more correct to become a citizen... as it is in the interests of non-citizens. The Minister admits that he is against introduction of any easements for non-citizens because then they will not have any motivation to naturalise ‘and then we will stay with a huge number of non-citizens and that may be used as an argument against Latvia by a person him-/herself or by Russia.

Vesti Segodnya interviews Sols Bukingolts, Presidents Advisor and the Head of the Society Integration Foundation about growing intolerance in Latvian society. He admits that Latvia is not an exception and ‘there are people who do not accept ‘others and there are politicians who take advantage of these people. And these politicians are not hiding anymore. Sols Bukingolts notes that racial expressions and even calls to national hatred are very wide spread on the Internet, however, no action is taken. In regard to measures, which should be implemented to deal with intolerance, he says that the stress should be placed on educational and not so much on administrative measures.

NRA talks to Mark Sofer, Deputy General Director of the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Head of the Israeli delegation to Latvia. Mark Sofer states that relations between Latvia and Israel are very good. He adds that anti-Semitism is a disease and it is not seen only in Latvia. Mark Sofer expresses his appreciation to the Latvian Presidents statements about the Holocaust in Latvia and stresses that the Israeli government wants to continue co-operation with the Latvian government in the field of education and teacher training about the Holocaust.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau has published a comprehensive article about the situation in Latvia and in particular the anti-Semitic statements made by the former Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins. Vesti Segodnya concludes that if the situation in Latvia does not change, Latvia will not manage to improve her international reputation and succeed in integration of the Russian minority.

Newspapers report that within last years the ratio of Latvians to the total country’s population has increased – in 2000 there were 57.7% Latvians, while this year there are 58.8% Latvians in Latvia. However, the actual number of Latvians is dropping – in 2000 there were 1,37 million Latvians, while in 2005 – 1,36 million. The demographic decline applies to other nationalities as well; for instance, in 2000 there were 703,000 Russians in Latvia, while in 2005 - 661,000. The only ethnicity in Latvia that has a positive demography is Roma.

Newspapers report that within last years the ratio of Latvians to the total countrys population has increased – in 2000 there were 57.7% Latvians, while this year there are 58.8% Latvians in Latvia. However, the actual number of Latvians is dropping – in 2000 there were 1,37 million Latvians, while in 2005 – 1,36 million. The demographic decline applies to other nationalities as well; for instance, in 2000 there were 703,000 Russians in Latvia, while in 2005 - 661,000. The only ethnicity in Latvia that has a positive demography is Roma. Latvijas Vestnesis, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

 

• Diena launches a discussion on the subject Racism in Us
• Vesti Segodnya: MP Andrejs Klementjevs will ask a couple of 'uncomfortable' questions about the situation of minorities in Latvia to the OSCE HCNM

Diena has launched a public discussion on a subject Racism in Us in its section private life. The newspaper calls its readers to tell about their attitudes and feelings towards people who are not Latvians. In the first story a woman shares with her experiences regarding Russians, Roma and black-skinned people. While another participant of the discussion argues that all people have various stereotypes, however, they are turned into action only if a person who holds them is weak and has low self-esteem.

Vesti Segodnya reports that in the upcoming session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe left-wing MP Andrejs Klementjevs will ask a number of ‘unpleasant questions to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Ralf Ekeus, in particular, why the High Commissioner welcomed the decision of the Latvian Parliament to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with reservations.

• PACE adopts the resolution which calls Latvia and Estonia to grant the right to participate in municipal elections to their non-citizens
• Chairperson of the Union of the Greens and Farmers: politicians are responsible for conflicts in society
• Members of Latvias Way do not believe in integration
• Interview with the outgoing head of the National Human Rights Office
• University of Latvia will educate Russian language editors
• Book about the life of Roma in Latvia at the beginning of the last century republished

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution, which calls to grant the rights to participate in municipal elections to Latvian and Estonian non-citizens

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution, which calls to grant the rights to participate in municipal elections to Latvian and Estonian non-citizens. Latvijas Avize, Chas

Chas talks to the Chairperson of the parliamentary faction of the Union of the Greens and Farmers Augusts Brigmanis. The Chairperson disagrees with the newspapers statement that interethnic tension is growing in Latvia. He states that recently he has not observed any increase of tension in the relations of Latvian and Russians, however, he adds that mainly politicians are responsible for disagreements in society ‘on one hand there is Dobelis with his right wing views and on the other hand there is Pliners and his rhetoric.

Latvijas Avize notes that former prime minister Andris Berzins, Latvias Way, recently argued that Latvia should not discuss integration possibilities but peaceful co-existence among Russians and Latvians. Latvijas Avize asks other members of Latvias Way whether they agree with the statement. Another former prime minister Ivars Godmanis says that he does not believe in integration either and adds that a pact on peaceful co-existence should be concluded. Couple other members of the party agree with the Berzins statement.

NRA interviews Olafs Bruvers, outgoing Head of the National Human Rights Office, about the future of the office and its functions. When asked whether Latvia is ready for the influx of immigrants and tolerance towards others, Olafs Bruvers says that Latvia is ready for refugees though not for many. He believes that in Latvia there is no anti-Semitism and racism. He states ‘if somebodys rights, religion contradict Christian understanding about things then the rights of those persons who arrived here and want to ruin something should be restricted. He is convinced that if there is something that poses threats to morals and security of the state, it should be prohibited. Here he refers to a possibility to organise gay pride in the streets of Riga and assures that if there were such application and the Riga City Council had banned the pride, according to Olafs Bruvers, it would not be a violation of human rights.

University of Latvia has received accreditation for the professional programme Russian Language Editor. The programme will prepare editors for publishing houses working with texts in the Russian language. The programme was developed because there is a lack of professionals who are able to do editing in Russian.

University of Latvia has received accreditation for the professional programme Russian Language Editor. The programme will prepare editors for publishing houses working with texts in the Russian language. The programme was developed because there is a lack of professionals who are able to do editing in Russian. Chas

NRA reports that the publishing house Zinatne has published a book ‘Roma in Latvian Forests, Homes and Markets by Juris Leimanis. The book tells how Romani people lived in Latvia at the beginning of the last century. It is the second edition of the book, the first was 66 years ago.