• Chas interviews presidential candidate MP Andris Bērziņš
• 17,310 citizens have signed in the signature collection on Constitutional amendments

In an interview with

In an interview with Chas the presidential candidate Andris Bērziņš, MP and formerly Board chairman of Unibanka (now SEB), confirmed that, unlike State President V.Zatlers four years ago, he will not cease communicating in Russian with journalists.

According to the Central Electoral Commission until 25 May 17,310 citizens of Latvia had signed in the signature collection concerning Constitutional amendments foreseeing state funded primary and secondary education solely in the state (Latvian) language. For the amendments to be reviewed by the Saeima 153,232 signatures are required. The amendments were put forward by the nationalist party Fatherland and Freedom/LNN, who were later joined by the radical nationalist All for Latvia!

According to the Central Electoral Commission until 25 May 17,310 citizens of Latvia had signed in the signature collection concerning Constitutional amendments foreseeing state funded primary and secondary education solely in the state (Latvian) language. For the amendments to be reviewed by the Saeima 153,232 signatures are required. The amendments were put forward by the nationalist party Fatherland and Freedom/LNN, who were later joined by the radical nationalist All for Latvia! Latvijas Avīze, Chas.

 

• New detention centre for foreigners is opened in Daugavpils
• Latvian officials are not planning to react to the statements of Sergey Lavrov

Chas reports on the transfer of 15 men and 3 women from the Olaine Detention facility for foreigners to the recently built Daugavpils detention centre under the supervision by the State Border Guard. The detainees come from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Guinea, Georgia and Turkey. The new detention centre is designed to hold up to 70 persons – illegal imigrants and asylum seekers. The construction of the centre was funded by the EU (4 million EUR).

Chas reports on the transfer of 15 men and 3 women from the Olaine Detention facility for foreigners to the recently built Daugavpils detention centre under thesupervisionby the State Border Guard. The detainees come from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Guinea, Georgia and Turkey. The new detention centre is designed to hold up to 70 persons – illegal imigrants and asylum seekers. The construction of the centre was funded by the EU (4 million EUR).

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, at the meeting with students from Kaliningrad, has stated that Latvia should fulfill recommendations of international organisations in the area of the usage of the Russian lanaguge. Sergey Lavrov has expressed his concerns in respect to initatives to abolish education in Russian.  According to the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima Ojārs Kalniņš (the Unity), such statements are not unusual for Latvia and should be ignored: „no changes in the the area of language have occured in the recent time”. The press secretary of the Ministry of Forein Affairs Jānis Silis has stated that the Ministry will not react to the Mr Lavrov’s statements since several international organisations believe that the State Language Law complies with international standarts.

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, at the meeting with students from Kaliningrad, has stated that Latvia should fulfill recommendations of international organisations in the area of the usage of the Russian lanaguge. Sergey Lavrov has expressed his concerns in respect to initatives to abolish education in Russian. According to the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima Ojārs Kalniņš (the Unity), such statements are not unusual for Latvia and should be ignored: „no changes in the the area of language have occured in the recent time. The press secretary of the Ministry of Forein Affairs Jānis Silis has stated that the Ministry will not react to the Mr Lavrovs statements since several international organisations believe that the State Language Law complies with international standarts.

 

• Opening of the Days of Russian Culture

Newspapers report that the “Days of Russian Culture” were officially opened on Sunday. The festival includes concerts, exhibitions, poetry evenings, tours and other events in various locations in Latvia and will continue until 6 June. The president of the Republic of Latvia Valdis Zatlers, Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Aleksander Veshnyakov and the Metropolitan of Latvia Aleksander have greeted the participants.

Newspapers report that the Days of Russian Culture were officially opened on Sunday. The festival includes concerts, exhibitions, poetry evenings, tours and other events in various locations in Latvia and will continue until 6 June. The president of the Republic of Latvia Valdis Zatlers, Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Aleksander Veshnyakov and the Metropolitan of Latvia Aleksander have greeted the participants. Vesti-Segodnya, Chas, Latvijas Avize (21.05.2011)

• Closure of the oldest (since 1868) Russian school in Riga

Vesti-Segodnya reports about the closure of Lomonosov high school – the oldest Russian school in Riga, which continuously functioned since 1868. As the school is being merged with another Russian school in the city centre, the schools director admits the general mood is quite nervous, because it is not known yet which schools will take the pupils and the employment prospects of teachers are unclear. The director advises the pupils to make transfers to other schools in small groups, because this would make their adaptation in new environment easier. According to the newspaper, nearly half of this years graduates are planning to emigrate.

• Deadline nears to take measures on the spelling of names
• Aivars Slucis equates ethnic Russians to a forest and calls to rarefy it

Vesti-Segodnya reports that the deadline of 29 May is nearing for Latvia to take measures to implement the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee in the case of Raihman v. Latvia. As reported, the UN HR Committee found that by unilaterally modifying the applicants name (attached ending s), Latvia violated the Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which encompasses the right to choose and change one's own name. According to the newspaper, since no measures were takes to implement the decision, the leader of NGO Return our Names!, deputy of the Riga City Council Ruslan Pankratov raises the issue in letters sent to respective Latvian and EU bodies.

Latvijas Avize published an article by Latvian American Aivars Slucis, who calls for establishment of new ethnic Latvian party National Farmers Union, targeting those who represent countryside and small towns of Latvia. The author believes that other problems in Latvia could not be resolved as long as ethnic Russians in Latvia represent more than 10-15% of population. Ethnic Russians are like a forest, where our deceivers and corrupt are hiding. The time has come to rarefy the forest. Latvijas Avize (19.05.2011), Vesti-Segodnya