• Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes
• Ombudsman Juris Jansons in Facebook discussion referred to opponent’s ethnic origin
• Latvijas Avize: Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers for ethnic minority schools

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes for being a member of foreign military forces. Aijo Benes took active part in actions supporting reunion of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions with Russia. He also positioned himself as a member of the Crimean “self defence” forces. The Citizenship Law stipulates that a person can be deprived of Latvian citizen for being a member of foreign military forces. However, the newspaper notes the same article stipulates that the citizenship cannot be deprived if in the result the person becomes stateless. The newspaper also notes that in 2013, 56 persons got deprived of Latvian citizenship, mainly for being citizens of a foreign state with which dual citizenship is not allowed by the Latvian legal acts. Also, 220 persons refused Latvian citizenship in favour of other state’s citizenship (mainly Russian.)

Vesti Segodnya reports about comments published by the Ombudsman Juris Jansons on Facebook. Commenting discussion about criminalisation of public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression of the MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) and other persons, the Ombudsman alleged Mr Cilevics of provocations and referred to B.Cilevics’ ethnic origin. J. Jansons also noted that in this discussion he expressed his personal opinion.

Latvijas Avize reports that despite government’s plans to increase proportion of education content taught in state language in national minority schools, the Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers specifically for these schools.  Reform’s opponents assert that if the language reform in introduced about 70-80% of national minority schools teachers may lose their jobs due to insufficient state language proficiency and there will be no other teachers to replace them. The Ministry does not agree that there will such dramatic problems because during past ten years schools already increased proportion of Latvian language in education process.

• Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs
• Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics
• Government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4 in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions
• State Service of Education Quality forbade schools to use a brochure edited by Valerijs Buhvalovs
• Subcommittee on patriotic education discusses possible actions aimed at region with the largest proportion of ethnic minorities

Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs. According to Mr. Liepnieks, in order to ensure stability inside the state and draw closer ethnic Latvians and Russian speaking residents, Latvia should refuse all its previous integration documents and programs aimed at assimilation of ethnic non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks believes that in order to make allies of ethnic non-Latvians it is important to refuse any force and assimilation strategy and to use instead professional pragmatic state marketing strategies. Also, Mr Liepnieks believes that integration policy should be aimed not only on ethnic Russians but also on ethnic Latvians and also stresses that Russophobic and nationalistic ethnic Latvians are equally harmful for the existence of Latvian national state as disloyal non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks says that neither EU nor U.S.A. will be able to help Latvia if Latvia itself does not ensure political stability through real actions aimed on consolidation of ethnic groups.

Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics. The Minister criticizes the draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression. The Minister stresses that the Criminal Law already foresees liability for denial of crimes against humanity and therefore, there is no need for additional articles, especially, because the current version of the proposed amendments gives options for wide interpretation. Commenting situation in Crimea, the Minister calls Russian speaking resident to consider with understanding feelings of ethnic Latvians about it as these events reminds them about events in Latvia in 1940. The Minister also hopes that all Latvian residents will be respectful to one another and will not support radicals.         

Yesterday, the government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions. The target audience of the Chanel 4 is mainly Russian speaking residents. Latvijas Avize, Diena

Latvijas Avize reports about a brochure “And the times puts obelisks” edited in Russian language by a member of the Union of Russians in Latvia and Russian cultural association “Veche” Valerijs Buhvalovs. The brochure was edited with an aim to present it to school teachers to “broaden their horizons.” However, the Education Content and Examination Centre after evaluation of the brochure’s content concluded that it does not correspondent to general education content and state education standards as it factually justifies Latvia’s occupation by the USSR and recognises it as a right step in order to save Europe from further escalation of Nazism. The State Service of Education Quality sent letter to all Latvian schools saying that usage of such material is not permissible in education process.

The Saeima subcommittee on patriotic education discussed possible actions aimed at strengthening ethnic Latvian cultural space in Latgale region (eastern part of Latvia). This region drew close attention by local and international mass media after reunion of Crimea with Russia as it has the largest proportion of ethnic minorities. Vesti Segodnya

• Nationalists’ union proposes to suspend issuing residence permits to third country nationals
• Court punished a persons with six months of suspended imprisonment for hate speech on the Internet
• Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of residents who faced situation when  medical workers refused to speak with them in a language they understand

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM proposes draft amendments to the Immigration Law giving the government rights to suspend issuing residence permits to third country nationals for a time period up to one year if there are some state security risks. The nationalists’ union, primarily, is concerned about the risks regarding purchase of real estate by Russian citizens. The Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma plans to discuss the proposal with the Minister of Interior within a week. Latvijas Avize, Diena

The Riga North District Court punished a man with six months of suspended imprisonment and six months of probation period for incitement of ethnic hatred on the Internet. The convicted person published deliberately hateful comment against Jewish people on a web site under an article about political processes in Israel. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of residents with poor Latvian language proficiency who faced situation when medical workers refused to speak with them in a language they understand. The newspaper specially asked its readers to report if they have faced such situation. In result, the newspaper collected four cases – mostly elderly people complained about situations when doctors refused to communicate with them in Russian language. The newspaper received also many calls of persons who wanted to thank their doctors for provided treatment disregard language and other aspects. The State Health Inspection commenting the complaints said that there are no legal norms strictly stipulating that doctors should speak in a language patient understands but such principle comes out of universal human practice and if a doctor is not proficient in patient’s language he/she should invite a colleague who is.

 

• Saeima supported in the second reading draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression
• Ministry of Justice: widening usage of other languages might endanger democratic structure of Latvian state

On 27 March, the Saeima supported in the second reading draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression against Latvia. As reported such draft amendments were criticized by the Security Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and oppositional party. Vesti Segodnya

Commenting the UNO Human Rights Committee’s recent recommendations to Latvia, the Ministry of Justice stated that the state’s task is to protect constitutional status of Latvian language, but widening usage of other languages might endanger democratic structure of Latvian state. As reported, the UNO recommended Latvia to review the State Language Law and its application in order to ensure that any restriction on the rights of non-Latvian speakers is reasonable, proportionate and non-discriminatory, and take measures to ensure access by non-Latvian speakers to public institutions and facilitate their communication with public authorities. Vesti Segodnya

• UNO Human Rights Committee remains concerned at the status of ‘non-citizen’ residents and the situation of linguistic minorities in Latvia
• State Language Centre criticizes a video clip advertising political party “United for Latvia” and its leader Ainars Slesers which calls for reconciliation
• Saeima supported the Introduction or Preamble to Constitution of Latvia in the first reading
• Vesti Segodnya reports about Chinese living in Ozolnieki

The UNO Human Rights Committee issued recommendations to Latvia. The Committee remains concerned about the status of ‘non-citizen’ residents and the situation of linguistic minorities. In particular, it is concerned about the impact of the State language policy on the enjoyment of the rights envisioned by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights without any discrimination by members of linguistic minorities, including the right to choose and change one’s own name and the right to an effective remedy. The Committee is further concerned about discriminatory effects of the language proficiency requirement on the employment of minority groups. The Committee recommends Latvia to enhance its efforts to ensure the full enjoyment of the Covenant rights by ‘non-citizen’ residents and members of linguistic minorities and further facilitate their integration into society. It also recommends Latvia to review the State Language Law and its application in order to ensure that any restriction on the rights of non-Latvian speakers is reasonable, proportionate and non-discriminatory, and take measures to ensure access by non-Latvian speakers to public institutions and facilitate their communication with public authorities. Diena, full report is available at http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR/C/LVA/CO/3&Lang=En

The State Language Centre (SLC) criticizes a video clip advertising political party “United for Latvia” and its leader Ainars Slesers which calls for reconciliation of nations. In particular, the SLC criticizes the way word “Latvia” is spelled – “LATVIЯ” (added Russian letter "YA" to the ending) – symbolizing unity of ethnic Latvians and Russians. However, representative of the SLC Antons Kursitis believes that it is rather can be viewed as a call for official bilingualism in Latvia. The video clip calls to build common society and not to split people on ethnic lines. It says that Latvian language should be the foundation for the reconciliation but respecting all other languages. It also calls not to give Russian residents of Latvia to Russia. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the Saeima supported the Introduction or Preamble to Constitution of Latvia in the first reading. As reported, the Introduction to the Constitution says “Latvia was established uniting ethnic Latvians in historical land, based on a firm state will of ethnic Latvian nation and its irrevocable rights for self-determination in order to guarantee existence and development of ethnic Latvian nation, its language and culture through centuries, insure freedom of every person and all nations and promote welfare.” The adoption of the Introduction got accompanied by long debates of parliamentarians and critics from the members of the oppositional party “Concord Centre.”

Vesti Segodnya reports about Chinese living in Ozolnieki (town in the Central part of Latvia). The newspaper says that there are no reasons to speak about invasion of Chinese to the town, because out of 65 Chinese who have declared the town as their town of residence, permanent residents are only few families. Interviewed residents of Ozolnieki do not see any problems that there are some Chinese in the town, however, they do not want to see large influx of Chinese people.