• Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Indulis Berzins: never want to survive the moment when a party which denies the occupation of Latvia comes to power

The ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Indulis Berzins in an interview with

The ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Indulis Berzins in an interview with Latvijas Avize stated that he never wants to survive the moment when a party which denies the fact that Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union comes to power. Mr. Berzins hopes that the majority of residents still will choose to vote for the parties who propose a way how to come out of crisis without Russias help. Latvijas Avize (11.05), Chas

• Video imitating the blowing up of the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders posted on Youtube.com
• Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks: Russias officials may soon acknowledge that Latvia was occupied by the USSR
• Most popular parties in May: Unity and the Concord Centre

Chas reports that a video imitating the blowing up of the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders was posted on Youtube.com on 9 May. The video is named Blowing up the Occupants Monument and is accompanied by text Future simulation – how it will look when this shit is finally removed. The persons nickname, who posted the video, is a Latvian internet slang abbreviation meaning No Russians – No Problems. Representative of the Security Police interviewed by the newspaper states that there are no grounds for opening a criminal case because there is no call to terrorism in the video and it is written that it is only simulation.

Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks (Society for Different Politics) believes that Russia’s officials may soon acknowledge that Latvia was occupied by the USSR. Mr. Pabriks considers that strongly critical statements about Stalin’s regime recently made by the Russian President Dmitrij Medvedev indicate that Russia “ceases to hold on to the details of totalitarian regime.” Mr. Pabriks also believes that Latvian officials are not ready to hear that Russia acknowledges the occupation of Latvia.

Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks (Society for Different Politics) believes that Russias officials may soon acknowledge that Latvia was occupied by the USSR. Mr. Pabriks considers that strongly critical statements about Stalins regime recently made by the Russian President Dmitrij Medvedev indicate that Russia ceases to hold on to the details of totalitarian regime. Mr. Pabriks also believes that Latvian officials are not ready to hear that Russia acknowledges the occupation of Latvia. Chas

According to the public opinion survey conducted by a company “GfK”, 15% of Latvian citizens would cast their votes for the political union “Unity” and 14,8% for the Concord Centre if the Saeima elections were held in the beginning of May. 6,6% would vote for the Union of Greens and Farmers. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of respondents.

According to the public opinion survey conducted by a company GfK, 15% of Latvian citizens would cast their votes for the political union Unity and 14,8% for the Concord Centre if the Saeima elections were held in the beginning of May. 6,6% would vote for the Union of Greens and Farmers. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of respondents. Vesti Segodnya

• Newspapers report about celebrations of Victory Day in Latvia
• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers: the victory in the WWII belongs to simple people
• Radical organisation Centre of Gustavs Celmins protested against 9 May celebrations

Newspapers report about celebrations of Victory Day in Latvia. In Riga, celebrations were held during two days on 8 May (official commemoration day of victims of the WWII in Latvia) and 9 May. Tens of thousands of people took part in the celebration events at the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. Representatives of embassies of the CIS countries, China and for the first time representatives of the U.S. Embassy came to lay flowers to the Monument. The Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs also took part in the events. In his speech the Mayor asked the veterans for forgiveness for the fact they have felt alienated during last 20 years in Latvia and that not so many people understood who the real heroes in this country are.  

Newspapers report about celebrations of Victory Day in Latvia. In Riga, celebrations were held during two days on 8 May (official commemoration day of victims of the WWII in Latvia) and 9 May. Tens of thousands of people took part in the celebration events at the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. Representatives of embassies of the CIS countries, China and for the first time representatives of the U.S. Embassy came to lay flowers to the Monument. The Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs also took part in the events. In his speech the Mayor asked the veterans for forgiveness for the fact they have felt alienated during last 20 years in Latvia and that not so many people understood who the real heroes in this country are. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Diena, Neatkariga

In an interview with

In an interview with Telegraf, the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers, who took part in celebrations in Moscow, stated that the victory in the WWII belongs to simple people and that it should never be forgotten that this victory destroyed Fascist ideology.

Several members of the radical organisation “Centre of Gustavs Celmins” held a picket near the Occupation Museum and a procession protesting against the celebration of 9 May in Riga.

Several members of the radical organisation Centre of Gustavs Celmins held a picket near the Occupation Museum and a procession protesting against the celebration of 9 May in Riga. Vesti Segodnya

• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers: integration should be based on common values of all residents

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers. The President believes that integration in Latvian society should be based on common values of all residents. The President also believes that bilingual model of education in Latvian schools is the best education option for representatives of ethnic minorities which helps them to become fully proficient in Latvian language and to participate in social and political life of the country while allowing them to preserve their identity, traditions and language.

• Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs: 9 May is one of the most important days for me
• Experts: it is wrong that 9 May splits Latvian society along ethnic lines
• Saeima refused proposal to allow foreign students to study in Latvia in Russian language

Chas prints an interview with the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs about 9 May (Victory Day). According to the Mayor, 9 May is one of the most important days for him personally and this year he will attend the celebration events in Riga. The Mayor believes that it is wrong to say that 9 May is celebrated only by ethnic Russians because there are also many ethnic Latvians veterans of the Red Army and those ethnic Latvians who respect this day.

Experts interviewed by

Experts interviewed by Neatkariga consider that it is wrong that different interpretations of meaning of 9 May or Victory Day splits Latvian society along ethnic lines. Experts believe that politicians should find a common meaning of this day for representatives of both ethnicities in order to overcome this division and draw closer all Latvian residents.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) to allow foreign students to study in Latvia in Russian language. The FHRUL believed that Russian language would attract to Latvia many Russian speaking students from abroad.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) to allow foreign students to study in Latvia in Russian language. The FHRUL believed that Russian language would attract to Latvia many Russian speaking students from abroad. Chas