• Minister of Justice Dzintars Rasnacs called the EU to elaborate targeted action policy on prevention of hate crimes
• Linguist Dzintra Hirse criticizes the plan to establish the national TV channel in Russian language

At the meeting of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency Working Party on combating hate crimes, the Latvian Minister of Justice Dzintars Rasnacs said that it is very important to ensure the implementation of hate crimes prevention policy in practice. He called the EU to elaborate targeted action policy in order to achieve the results in the prevention of hate crimes so that such crimes are effectively investigated and guilty parties brought to justice. According to the Minister, hate crimes is a threat towards national and society security and rights and freedoms of residents. Incitement to hatred against representative of any ethnicity, race, religion can cause substantial consequences, said Mr. Rasnacs. Neatkariga

Latvijas Avize interviews a linguist, member of the President’s State Language Commission Dzintra Hirse about the proposal by the National Council on Electronic Mass Media to establish third national television channel which would broadcast in Russian language. Mrs Hirsa criticizes such plans and believes that it is rather important to improve programmes in Russian on LTV7. She also believes that all the information about events inLatvia should not be in Russian only as the economically active ethnic Russian residents are proficient in Latvian language, but elder people are not interested in Latvian political developments. Mrs Hirsa says that the information is a matter of national security, but expansion of Russian language environment is a threat to national security in perspective.   

• Latvijas Avize reports about a discussion conducted in Latgale about mass media situation in this region

Latvijas Avize reports about a discussion conducted in Latgale (region in the Eastern part ofLatvia) about mass media situation in this region and plans to establish a Russian language national TV channel inLatvia. The discussion was organised by the Ministries of Culture and Transport. The Minister of Culture, the Minister of Transport, representatives ofDaugavpils and Kraslava local governments and local media took part in the discussion. The head of the National Council on Electronic Mass Media Ainars Dimants and the head of the Latvian Television Ivars Belte tried to convince the participants about the necessity to establish such channel. The Advisor of the Minister of Transport Egils Helmanis, in his turn, was sceptical about such idea arguing that it would be a waste of money. He believes that such channel also would strengthen not Latvian but Russian language in Latgale. Representatives of media and local governments criticized the Latvian Television (LTV) for being too much negative in contrast toRussia’s media, mentioning this fact as one of the examples why people choose to watch Russia’s channels.

• State Language Centre asked to deprive the mandate of the Balvi local government’s deputy for insufficient state language proficiency

The State Language Centre (SLC) sent an appeal to the Collegium of Criminal Cases of the Latgale Regional Courtasking to deprive the deputy of the Balvi local government Ivans Baranovs (the Concord) of his mandate for insufficient state language proficiency. Mr Baranovs commented the case stating that the SLC found that his Latvian language proficiency did not match the highest level in November 2013. Since that time, Mr Baranovs tried to improve his language skills. He recognized that during the last couple of years he was studying for diploma at the Academyof Public Administrationin Pskov(neighbouring region in Russia). Vesti Segodnya

• State Language Centre received numerous aggressive complaints and letters from residents
• Latvijas Avize interviews media experts on whether there is a necessity to establish a state funded Russian language TV channel in Latvia

According to a representative of the State Language Centre (SLC), after its call to speak at work places in Latvian language only, the Centre has received numerous aggressive complaints and letters from residents. Some of the complainants said that after such call they will speak principally in Russian only. Representative of the SLC believes that the major role in creation of such negative reaction had Russian language mass media who distorted the information reporting that the SLC called to speak Latvian only also in private communication. Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize interviews media experts on whether there is a necessity to establish a state funded Russian language TV channel in Latvia. Lecturer of the Communication Studies Department of the University of Latvia and former head of the Latvian Television (LTV) Rolands Tjarve does not support a proposal to establish a new Russian language channel. He argues that such channel would harm Latvian language environment and would not stimulate Russian speakers to learn Latvian. He also believes that Russian language channel will not be able to compete withRussia’s channels becauseLatvia cannot afford to invest appropriate funding for production of competitive TV content. Therefore, Mr Tjarve proposes to develop the existing Russian language programmes at LTV7 and to invest in the production of original programmes in Latvian language and improve their quality. Political scientist Ilga Kreituse also criticizes plans to establish Russian language TV channel as it contradicts the vision thatLatvia should become more ethnic Latvian and more people would learn Latvian language. She believes that it would be more effective to establish the EU-wide Russian language channel funded by the EU funds. The media expert Sergejs Kruks, in his turn, supports establishment of such channel inLatvia as it would help to engage Russian speaking residents in the public processes. Mr Kruks believes that so far the engagement was low and it is important that Russian speakers could speak about issues important to them personally instead of ethnic Latvians speaking for them.  

• MP Edvins Snore criticizes the possible establishment of a state funded Russian language TV channel in Latvia

Latvijas Avize publishes an article by the MP Edvins Snore (National Union) criticizing the possible establishment of a state funded Russian language TV channel inLatvia. As reported, the National Council on Electronic Mass Media approved a conceptual decision on establishment of such channel with an aim to counterRussia’s propaganda and promote integration. Edvins Snore criticizes such decision arguing that Russian language media inLatvia is already widely available and warns about examples when journalists working in Russian language outlets criticised the government treatment of minorities. There is no guarantee that Latvia’s Russophones will watch the new channel. Establishment of such channel would also contradict one of the aims of Latvian mass media to promote Latvian language as common communication for all Latvian residents. He also believes that establishment of a Russian language TV channel would be a signal to the world and society acknowledging that Latvia is officially a two-community state. E. Snore also criticizes those ethnic Latvians who speak to each other in Russian language when taking part in Russian language discussion programmes on TV. According to E.Snore, the main threat forLatvia is not striving of local ethnic Russian residents for Putin’sRussia, but rather for Russian Latvia.