Press Report

Prime-Minister Skele during his press-conference last Friday said that several important points of the Government Declaration were still not implemented. Among those he mentioned naturalization and the exchange of aliens' passports. Mr. Skele believes that Latvia's population should be informed on naturalization and advantages provided by new aliens' passports. He noted that Russia violates the interests of Russian-speakers by refusing to recognize the new passports. The issue may be put on the agenda of Mr. Skele's meeting with Russian Prime-Minister Chernomyrdin. The date of the meeting has not been appointed yet.

Prime-Minister Skele during his press-conference last Friday said that several important points of the Government Declaration were still not implemented. Among those he mentioned naturalization and the exchange of aliens' passports. Mr. Skele believes that Latvia's population should be informed on naturalization and advantages provided by new aliens' passports. He noted that Russia violates the interests of Russian-speakers by refusing to recognize the new passports. The issue may be put on the agenda of Mr. Skele's meeting with Russian Prime-Minister Chernomyrdin. The date of the meeting has not been appointed yet.

The

The LNNK Congress voted in favor of the party merging with "Tevzemei un Brivibai". Minister of EU Affairs Aleksandrs Kirsteins and Minister of Defense Andrejs Krastins were among those who voted against the decision. The LNNK and the Greens have eight seats in the Saeima and two members of the party hold the posts of ministers. "TB" has thirteen seats and is represented by four ministers in the Cabinet. According to forecasts, moderate LNNK members may join "Latvijas Cels" or a new party that may be formed by Janis Peters and Raimonds Pauls in the nearest future. B&B

Press Report

Last Thursday the US Congress Committee for International Affairs informed the press about a draft bill on NATO enlargement. The draft bill supports the admission of Baltic states to NATO. Latvian Ambassador to the USA Ojars Kalnins told

Last Thursday the US Congress Committee for International Affairs informed the press about a draft bill on NATO enlargement. The draft bill supports the admission of Baltic states to NATO. Latvian Ambassador to the USA Ojars Kalnins told "DIENA" that the draft bill contained a chapter that named the three Baltic states and Romania among potential NATO members. The admission of the three Baltic states to NATO was also supported by the Committee on security and Co-operation in Europe. The Committee considered reports on the human rights situation delivered by Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Polish ambassadors. According to Mr. Kalnins, the Baltic states were not criticized for human rights violations by Committee members. Chairman of the Committee D'Amato positively evaluated the point in the Latvian Ambassador's report that said that Russian-language school outnumbered Latvian schools in Riga. Diena

US Ambassador to Latvia Larry Napper in an interview for

US Ambassador to Latvia Larry Napper in an interview for "DIENA" confirmed that NATO would "leave its doors open" to all potential members. He stressed the role of NATO as a basic element of the European security system along with the OSCE, the latter playing an important role in conflict prevention. Diena

The Union of Latvian Ukrainians issued a statement criticizing the existing laws and regulations on naturalization. The statement points at the fact that only 200 ethnic Ukrainians have obtained citizenship through naturalization. The total number of Ukrainians residing in Latvia is 63.3 thousand. The Union will submit several suggestions on amending the Latvian legislation to the

The Union of Latvian Ukrainians issued a statement criticizing the existing laws and regulations on naturalization. The statement points at the fact that only 200 ethnic Ukrainians have obtained citizenship through naturalization. The total number of Ukrainians residing in Latvia is 63.3 thousand. The Union will submit several suggestions on amending the Latvian legislation to the Saeima, the President and the Head of the Naturalization Board. The suggestions include granting citizenship through registration to all persons born in Latvia, allowing permanent residents who resided in Latvia on May 4, 1990, to undergo naturalization outside "the window mechanism", exempting persons over sixty years of age of naturalization tests and exempting holders of "language certificates" of naturalization language tests.

President Ulmanis told

President Ulmanis told "DIENA" that certain ethnic groups could not be given advantages as for obtaining Latvian citizenship. He noted that Poles who entered Latvia in 1939 and 1940 as refugees were entitled to extraordinary naturalization. Still, he will discuss the status of those who entered the country after 1945 with the Polish President during his visit to Poland. Mr. Ulmanis pointed at the fact that 6,000 Poles having the right to obtain citizenship through naturalization did not exercise the right. President Ulmanis left for Poland today. Diena

The Immigration Police arrested a civil wife of a well-known pop-singer Sergey Gallaktionov. Mr. Gallaktionov at a press-conference explained that his wife Natalya was detained for not having a Register of Inhabitants stamp in her passport. She is kept in custody by the Immigration Police and is not allowed to meet with her husband and lawyers. CID officials explain that Natalya, being a daughter of a Russian serviceman, is to be expelled to Russia. Her father is legally residing in Latvia while Natalya did not receive a Register stamp due to the sickness and death of her child. Riga City Council deputy Normunds Ozolins ("Equal Rights") contacted Minister of Interior Turlais on the case. The Minister promised to investigate the issue.

The Immigration Police arrested a civil wife of a well-known pop-singer Sergey Gallaktionov. Mr. Gallaktionov at a press-conference explained that his wife Natalya was detained for not having a Register of Inhabitants stamp in her passport. She is kept in custody by the Immigration Police and is not allowed to meet with her husband and lawyers. CID officials explain that Natalya, being a daughter of a Russian serviceman, is to be expelled to Russia. Her father is legally residing in Latvia while Natalya did not receive a Register stamp due to the sickness and death of her child. Riga City Council deputy Normunds Ozolins ("Equal Rights") contacted Minister of Interior Turlais on the case. The Minister promised to investigate the issue. SM

Press Report

Only 639 sixteen to twenty year-old young people used their right to obtain citizenship through naturalization in 1996. This year slightly more than one hundred applicants between 21 and 26 years of age used this right. The only social group displaying interest toward Latvian citizenship is the so-called yuppies. They see Latvian citizenship as part of establishing their careers. Still, they cannot explain in what way they would benefit from obtaining Latvian citizenship. Many young people would not take citizenship because of the mandatory army service. A large portion of young people does not see any sense in becoming citizens and believe naturalization tests to be a useless waste of time. The Naturalization Board is planning to investigate the reasons of non-citizens' indifference toward naturalization. Last year's research by the Board showed that 63% of young non-citizens would like to take citizenship. Still, most of them remain passive and are not planning to apply for naturalization. According to Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane, the Board is ready to change the naturalization test program in the way that would not contradict the law. Currently, the Board is accomplishing the work on the new program for history tests. The program will focus on modern history and will consist of 150 question with only 18 questions on Latvia's ancient history.

Only 639 sixteen to twenty year-old young people used their right to obtain citizenship through naturalization in 1996. This year slightly more than one hundred applicants between 21 and 26 years of age used this right. The only social group displaying interest toward Latvian citizenship is the so-called yuppies. They see Latvian citizenship as part of establishing their careers. Still, they cannot explain in what way they would benefit from obtaining Latvian citizenship. Many young people would not take citizenship because of the mandatory army service. A large portion of young people does not see any sense in becoming citizens and believe naturalization tests to be a useless waste of time. The Naturalization Board is planning to investigate the reasons of non-citizens' indifference toward naturalization. Last year's research by the Board showed that 63% of young non-citizens would like to take citizenship. Still, most of them remain passive and are not planning to apply for naturalization. According to Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane, the Board is ready to change the naturalization test program in the way that would not contradict the law. Currently, the Board is accomplishing the work on the new program for history tests. The program will focus on modern history and will consist of 150 question with only 18 questions on Latvia's ancient history. Diena

"Tevzemei un Brivibai"

Chairman Maris Grinblats said in a TV interview that his party would never agree to granting Latvian citizenship to Poles residing in Latvia. Mr. Vladlen Dozortsev ("People's Harmony") told Chairman Maris Grinblats said in a TV interview that his party would never agree to granting Latvian citizenship to Poles residing in Latvia. Mr. Vladlen Dozortsev ("People's Harmony") told "SM""SM" that Mr. Grinblats deliberately distorted the very essence of the issue. No-one have suggested granting citizenship to Poles without any exams. The suggestion provided was to grant them the right for extraordinary naturalization. Mr. Grinblats claimed that granting the right for citizenship to a peculiar ethnic group would lead to other ethnic groups demanding the similar advantages. Still, the suggestion supported by the President and the Saeima Human Rights Committee concerned all former citizens of Poland and their descendants irrespective of their ethic origin. Mr. Dozortsev does not believe that the Saeima will be able to adopt any amendments to the Citizenship Law. Amending the Law may lead to another Government crisis. Dozortsev criticizes the President for trying to meet the interests of all parties in his statements. Still, Latvia has no other choice than to change its policy toward non-citizens. Otherwise, it will not be able to join the European Union and will become isolated from the rest of Europe. This, according to Dozortsev, has been proved by EU Commissioner van den Broek's statements made during his recent visit to Latvia. that Mr. Grinblats deliberately distorted the very essence of the issue. No-one have suggested granting citizenship to Poles without any exams. The suggestion provided was to grant them the right for extraordinary naturalization. Mr. Grinblats claimed that granting the right for citizenship to a peculiar ethnic group would lead to other ethnic groups demanding the similar advantages. Still, the suggestion supported by the President and the Saeima Human Rights Committee concerned all former citizens of Poland and their descendants irrespective of their ethic origin. Mr. Dozortsev does not believe that the Saeima will be able to adopt any amendments to the Citizenship Law. Amending the Law may lead to another Government crisis. Dozortsev criticizes the President for trying to meet the interests of all parties in his statements. Still, Latvia has no other choice than to change its policy toward non-citizens. Otherwise, it will not be able to join the European Union and will become isolated from the rest of Europe. This, according to Dozortsev, has been proved by EU Commissioner van den Broek's statements made during his recent visit to Latvia. SMSM Yesterday the Saeima passed draft amendments to the Law on Elections to the Saeima committees. The draft amendments provide for increasing "the barrier" to be passed by coalitions to enter the Saeima in next elections from 5% to 7%. According to the amendments, only the parties registered at least one year before the elections will be allowed to run for seats in the next Saeima. The term may be increased to three years after 2000. Observers believe the amendments to be an attempt to press out smaller parties and show the concern of the major political parties about their political future. New parties are expected to appear this summer, a party established by famous composer Raimonds Pauls and current Ambassador to Russia Janis Peters among them. B&B;

Yesterday the Saeima passed draft amendments to the Law on Elections to the Saeima committees. The draft amendments provide for increasing "the barrier" to be passed by coalitions to enter the Saeima in next elections from 5% to 7%. According to the amendments, only the parties registered at least one year before the elections will be allowed to run for seats in the next Saeima. The term may be increased to three years after 2000. Observers believe the amendments to be an attempt to press out smaller parties and show the concern of the major political parties about their political future. New parties are expected to appear this summer, a party established by famous composer Raimonds Pauls and current Ambassador to Russia Janis Peters among them. B&B

Press Reports

Press Reports

134 non-citizens' passports were issued between April 10 and 18. CID officials explain the low demand for the new passports by Russia's refusal to recognize the documents. President Ulmanis believes that Russia would "recognize non-citizens' passports in the course of time."

134 non-citizens' passports were issued between April 10 and 18. CID officials explain the low demand for the new passports by Russia's refusal to recognize the documents. President Ulmanis believes that Russia would "recognize non-citizens' passports in the course of time." PL

An article in

An article in "SM" points at tangible changes in the Government's attitude to the issues of naturalization and non-citizens. The main reason for the tendency is the attention paid to the problem by the West. High-ranking Western officials made it clear that Latvia's integration into Western Europe would not be possible without resolving the non-citizens' issue. The author of the article forecasts the growth of interest toward receiving Russian citizenship among non-citizens. The new non-citizens' passports are still not valid for travel to Russia while many non-citizens have vital interests there. The article claims that 60 thousand Russian citizens are permanently residing in Latvia and forecasts a possible five-fold increase in their number. The Government is aware of this threat to Latvia's plans for joining NATO. Among the problems faced by a more liberal part of the Latvian state officials and politicians are a negative attitude of ethnic Latvians to the very idea of a large number of non-Latvians receiving citizenship. A very large portion of Latvians believes them to be disloyal to the country and its independence. Such an attitude is a result of several years of "brainwashing" in the media. Non-citizens, on the other hand, have accumulated negative experience form their contacts with authorities and feel suspicious toward Government institutions. The author of the article does not believe there would be a rush for Latvian citizenship even if it was granted merely through registration.

A poll by the Naturalization Board showed that the majority of applicants for naturalization did not have any difficulties in passing language tests. 32% of applicants admitted that they had certain problems in passing history tests. Most of the applicants are individuals having the right for extraordinary naturalization. Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane told the

A poll by the Naturalization Board showed that the majority of applicants for naturalization did not have any difficulties in passing language tests. 32% of applicants admitted that they had certain problems in passing history tests. Most of the applicants are individuals having the right for extraordinary naturalization. Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane told the Saeima Committee for the Implementation of the Citizenship Law about her recent meeting with young non-citizens. It showed that many potential young applicants were not willing to undergo naturalization due to the fact that their parents could not obtain citizenship although many of them stood for Latvia's independence in 1991. Mrs. Aldermane believes that a written rendering of a Latvian text during the language exam should be replaced with an essay written in Latvian. Diena