Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Constitutional Court rules that language restrictions in the Law on Radio and Television do not comply with international norms
• Some of protest letters against the education reform turned out to be fake

• Court justifies 4 policemen who beat a Roma man

The Constitutional Court ruled that language restrictions in the Law on Radio and Television, which stipulate that only up to 25% of radio and TV programmes may be aired in a foreign languages, do not comply with the Constitution and international norms and thus are null and void.

In the last month the Ministry of Education received about 1,000 letters voicing protest against the education reform from private persons. The Ministry discovered that one signature is forged, as the alleged writer, when receiving the response letter from the Education Ministry, announced that has not sent any letters. It turned out that about 6 addresses are not residential but business addresses although signed by private persons. The Ministry will hand in the letters to the Prosecutor Office. Diena, Chas

Chas

reports about the decision of the court in the case of 4 policemen, who beat two Roma men when detaining them; one man died from the beating. The court ruled that the death of a man was a coincidence. The newspaper comments that there are no boundaries for policemen. The wife of the killed man will appeal the decision. Diena, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Leader of a minority NGO about activity plans of ministries in the respect of human rights and integration issues
• Articles about disagreements between the Socialist Party and Equality

The public policy portal www.politika.lv features an article by the Executive Secretary of the Latvian Human Rights Committee Aleksey Dmitrov about reflection of human rights and integration issues in the activity plan of the Cabinet of Ministers and individual Ministries. He notes that human right and integration issues are included in the activity plans, however, they are not named as priorities of the government and ministries. For instance, the activity plan discusses the implementation of the education reform at minority schools, but does not name it as a priority although it is the most problematic issue in the field of education. Aleksey Dmitrov writes that the activity plan of the Special Task Minister for Integration Affairs caused the biggest surprise. The plan contains only general phrases – “establish a dialogue with minorities,” “planning and implementation of social integration policy,” etc. Development of the National Plan against racism and intolerance is the only concrete activity. The activity plan of the Integration Minister does not say anything about the updating of the Integration Programme, ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and other issues, which were on the Minister’s agenda just after his appointment. Dmitrov concludes with the hope that Nils Muiznieks left these issues out of the activity plan only due to a difficult political situation, not out of changed priorities. 

The public policy portal www.politika.lv features an articleby the Executive Secretary of the Latvian Human Rights Committee Aleksey Dmitrov about reflection of human rights and integration issues in the activity plan of the Cabinet of Ministers and individual Ministries. He notes that human right and integration issues are included in the activity plans, however, they are not named as priorities of the government and ministries. For instance, the activity plan discusses the implementation of the education reform at minority schools, but does not name it as a priority although it is the most problematic issue in the field of education. Aleksey Dmitrov writes that the activity plan of the Special Task Minister for Integration Affairs caused the biggest surprise. The plan contains only general phrases – establish a dialogue with minorities, planning and implementation of social integration policy, etc. Development of the National Plan against racism and intolerance is the only concrete activity. The activity plan of the Integration Minister does not say anything about the updating of the Integration Programme, ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and other issues, which were on the Ministers agenda just after his appointment. Dmitrov concludes with the hope that Nils Muiznieks left these issues out of the activity plan only due to a difficult political situation, not out of changed priorities.
Go to the article (in Latvian)

Chas and Vechernaya Riga feature articles about disagreements within FHRUL and the decision of the Socialist Party to leave the Union.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Ministry of Education develops amendments to the Education Law
• Vechernaya Riga: New Era wants a new City Council in Riga
• Visit of members of social democratic parties from other countries
• Latvian student wins Russian essay contest

Amendments to the Education Law developed by the Ministry of Education foresee a new wording about the education reform at minority schools in 2004. The amendments foresee not only to abolish the word only (in the phrase that classes are held only in the state language) but also include a broader explanation about the governments policy, that is, 40% of classes shall be held in a minority language and 60% in the state language. Diena states that amendments will concern not only minority schools but also Latvian schools. The new amendments also propose to abolish the linkage between teachers salaries and the minimal salary.

Vechernaya Riga

reports that the New Era seriously considers holding extraordinary elections of the Riga City Council. Proposals of the New Era to establish a barrier of 5% of cast votes for parties to be elected the Riga City Council and to reduce the number of deputies are cited as evidence of this presumption. Chas, Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya

reports about the visit to Riga of a delegation of European left-wing parties: MPs of the European Parliament and members of social democratic parties from different countries. Members of the delegation were surprised about the high level of nationalism in the Latvian political environment, especially in social democratic parties.

Vechernaya Riga

reports on the essay contest organised by the Association of Russian Language Teachers. The newspaper notes that this year many Latvians took part in the essay contest and also the first prize was awarded a Latvian student.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• About 100 people protest against the implementation of the education reform
• Russian MFA criticises statements of the Latvian Prime Minister
• Lauku Avize about the congress of the Latvian First Party

Although the Riga City Council did not issue a permission to organise a picket against the implementation of the education reform, the FHRUL Saeima faction organised a meeting with voters outside the building of the Education Ministry. About 100 people attended the picket. The next protest activity will be held on June 7 at the Railway station square. Diena, Lauku Avize, Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry voiced its criticism regarding the statements of Latvian Prime Minister Einars Repse that hostile forces outside Latvia are responsible for tension in Latvia. The Russian MFA states the decision of the Latvian government to continue the implementation of the reform raises natural dissatisfaction among local Russian-speaking population. Diena

Lauku Avize

reports about the congress of the Latvian First Party. Head of the Saeima faction of the Latvian First Party Oskars Kastens stated that the ruling coalition is not so unified any more. He also noted that the party is ready to look for supporters among non-citizens. Nils Muiznieks, who is not a member of the party but was suggested for his post by it, said that his biggest concern is the large number of non-citizens among the youth.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Russia continues to draw attention to the situation of non-citizens in the Baltic States
• Prime Minister Repse has not associated the President of Parex bank with providing funding for protest activities
• Riga City Council did not issue the permission to organise a protest meeting against the implementation of the education reform at the Saeima on 2 June
• Interview with leader of the Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks

When preparing for the EU and Russia summit in St.Petersburg Russia tried to include on the diplomatic agenda the issue concerning the Russian-speaking population in the Baltic states. Russia set a condition: if in the final document the EU wants to talk about the Pridenstr issue, Russia will speak about the situation of Russians in the Baltic states. A Latvian diplomat commented that from the side of Russia it was a tactical step to block the inclusion of the unpleasant issue in the final document. Lately Russia has tried several times to discuss the issue of Russians in the Baltic states on the international arena. In response to the speech of the Vice Speaker of the Russian State Duma Lubova Sliska in the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO, an expert commission will come to Latvia in the fall to examine the situation of non-citizens. Diena, Neatkariga, Lauku Avize

Prime Minister Einars Repse denies having associated the president of Parex bank, Valery Kargin, with providing funding for anti-Latvian activities aimed at the formation of a two-community society in Latvia. In his turn, Valery Kargin said that the bank could not be viewed as disloyal towards the Latvian state as the bank has provided funding for the NATO summit in Prague and neither he nor the bank has provided funding for political demonstrations or meetings during the last years. Diena, Lauku Avize

The Riga City Council did not issue the permission to organise a protest meeting against the implementation of the education reform outside the Saeima on 2 June. However, FHRUL youth organisation will organise the meeting anyway and expect that about 500 people will attend the meeting. Lauku Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Chas

talks to the leader of the Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks. He states that there are too many differences between the Socialist party and Equality and therefore there will not be one party – FHRUL – anymore. He believes that if Prime Minister Einars Repse would realise that the proposed amendments to the Citizenship Law and Municipality Election Law comply with international requirements and it brings a benefit for him, he would amend these laws.

Vesti Segodnya

comments on examinations for 9th graders. The newspaper notes that although Russian students could take examinations in Russian, the content of some examinations – history, literature – hinted that the Soviet occupation and people who came to Latvia at that time brought much negative for Latvia.