• Political Party "Latvia’s Russian Union" conducted its congress
• State Language Commission: Latvian language is the only state and integration language
• Number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia who do not see justification for Russia’s military involvement in the conflict in Ukraine has grown
• Women detained during the procession of Latvian legionnaires on 16 March might be punished for singing WWII era song

Newspapers report about a congress of the political party "Latvia’s Russian Union". According to one of the party’s leaders, MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka, "Latvia’s Russian Union" is the only party in Latvia, which protects the rights of ethnic non-Latvians. The party members approved its resolution which has three main directions: defending the interests of Russian speaking residents of Latvia in the areas of education, citizenship and protection from discrimination; pressuring European governments with an aim to stop military confrontation between the West and Russia; and establishing a wide oppositional coalition which would be able to protect people’s interests at the national and local level. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena

The State Language Commission came with a statement criticising the MP’s Regina Locmele-Lunova’s (Concord), who criticised the fact that the Advisor of the Minister of Culture Martins Kaprans gave an interview in Latvian language to a local Russian language TV channel. According to the Commission, Latvian language is the only state and integration language in Latvia, therefore, in order to promote it, state officials should use it in communication with journalists. Usage of Latvian language by state officials helps non-Latvian to integrate, believes the Commission. It also supports the call of the State Language Centre to use more frequently Latvian language at work. Latvijas Avize

According to a data based on a public opinion survey conducted by a company SKDS and distributed by the MEP from Latvia Sandra Kalniete, the number of Russian speaking residents in Latvia who do not see justification for Russia’s military involvement in the conflict in Ukraine has grown comparing with spring 2014. In April 2014, 35,7% of Russian speakers did not see justification for Russia’s involvement. In August 2014, the number grown up to 37,1%, but in February 2015 up to 42,1%. In April 2014, 43,1% of Russian speakers believed that Russia’s involvement is justified. In August 2014 the number dropped down to 28,6%, but in February 2015 down to 28,9%. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports that a women detained during the procession of Latvian legionnaires on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) for singing WWII song "The Sacred War" might be punished for administrative violation. In an interview with Vesti Segodnya, the women explained that she is a convinced anti-fascist and such procession is shameful forLatvia. 

• National Council on Electronic Mass Media approved a decision on establishment of a Russian language TV channel
• Weekly Sestdiena questions an expert and a politician on whether Latvia should accept Syrian refugees
• Vesti Segodnya interviews Juris Millers - director of a musical about Herbets Cukurs

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media approved a conceptual decision on establishment of a Russian language TV channel. It is planned that the channel would also have special programs for residents of Latgale (Eastern Latvian region). The establishment of the third LTV channel should be approved by the government. Latvijas Avize

Weekly Sestdiena interviews a professor of the Riga Graduate School of Law Martins Mits and the MP Atis Lejins (Unity) on whetherLatvia should accept Syrian refugees who presently are located in Southern European countries. According to Martins Mits, asLatvia is the EU member state, it cannot distance itself from refugee problems. It is unfair that such countries as Greece, Spain and Italy solve the problem of Syrian refugees, and especially, because, these countries cannot handle it anymore. Therefore, it is important to discuss what number of refugees each country can accept, includingLatvia, believes Mr Mits. Moreover, by taking part in acceptance of refugees,Latvia would prove that it is full-fledged member of the international society. The MP Lejins, in his turn, believes that Latvia has enough of its own economic problems but accommodation of refuges is very expensive and the state cannot afford it. He also says that during Soviet era large number of immigrants moved toLatvia and we should firstly solve this problem.

Vesti Segodnya interviews Juris Millers - director of a musical about Herbets Cukurs member of the "Arajs Kommando", which was responsible for the mass murders inLatvia during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s and famous Latvian aviation pioneer during the 1930s. As reported, the musical was condemned by minority NGOs in Latvia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics and the director of Jerusalem office of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Efraim Zuroff. J. Millers believes that the fact the Herberts Cukurs was the member of an organisation responsible for mass murders does not make him a murderer automatically. According to J. Millers, the musical raises many questions about Cukurs and his choices. He also believes that there should be a fair trail for Cukurs, and unless he is sentenced by the court nobody has a right to call him criminal. 

• Ombudsman Juris Jansons presented the Annual Report 2014 in the Saeima
• Diena interviews a Latvian non-citizen who recently also gave an interview to the German daily Die Welt about non-citizenship problem in Latvia
• Lutheran pastor Guntis Kalme: Latvia will come to a success story only when the Security Police will kick out the fifth column
• President thanked the members of the Ethnic Minorities Advisory Council for cooperation

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Ombudsman Juris Jansons presented the Annual Report 2014 in the Saeima. According to the Ombudsman there is no discrimination of ethnic Russians and ethnic Latvians inLatvia. There were sharp and offensive discussions in radically minded media and comments on Internet portals, but in daily life, labour market, access to goods and services there is no discrimination, said the Ombudsman. There is very little information in Latvian-language media about national minorities and their problems and this deepens the split between the groups. At the same time, the Ombudsman received several complaints on discrimination of Roma and Turks and representatives of other ethnicities living inLatvia. However, not all the complaints have been confirmed. According to the Ombudsman, Roma still face discrimination in the labour market. He also proposed to involve Roma in show-business inLatvia as singing and performance is close to these people.

Diena interviews a Latvian non-citizen named Dmitrijs who recently also gave an interview to the German daily Die Welt about non-citizenship problem inLatvia. Dmitrijs criticizesLatvia for mass scale non-citizenship problem comparing it to other former Soviet republics in which after the restoration of independence such problem does not exist or is less significant. Dmitrijs is well proficient in Latvian language and is ready to pass the naturalisation examination at any time, however, he believes it will not solve the problem as such. Dmitrijs says that practical problem of non-citizens face are connected to travelling and lack of voting rights, however, what is more important is that they do not feel belonging to the state. And the naturalisation cannot change this feeling. He also criticizes government for cultivating an opinion that the problem of non-citizenship does not exist inLatvia, but it isRussia’s effort to actualise the problem. Dmitrijs also does not see any organisation protecting non-citizens’ rights, even the Congress of Non-citizens is not effective as it is not officially registered and it is viewed as anti-state organisation.

Lutheran pastor Guntis Kalme who every year is taking part in the commemorative procession on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) in Riga stated that Latvia will come to a success story only when “the Security Police will kick out the fifth column out of the country and when Russia’s war propaganda will be restricted in the media.” Mr Kalme also does not agree that the Latvian legionnaires are victims and believes they are heroes and therefore should be honoured.

Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of the President’s Ethnic Minorities Advisory Council. The President Andris Berzins thanked the members of the Council for cooperation and promised to continue it if he’s elected to the President’s post repeatedly.

 

 

• Newspapers reports about 16 March events in Riga – no major confrontations registered
• Neatkariga prints an article about integration of Roma in Daugavpils

Newspapers report about the procession of former Latvian legionnaires and their supporters on 16 March in Riga– unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. Comparing to the previous years, the event conducted without any major confrontations. After a church service, former legionnaires and their supporters walked through the centre of Rigato the Monumentof Freedomto lay the flowers. Some of the participants held posters in different languages condemning Nazism. The protest action against the procession was conducted by the members of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee after the end of the legionnaires’ procession. The protest action manifested as a performance of “disinfection” of the square before the Monumentof Freedomfrom the “virus of Nazism.” The security during the events was maintained by a large number of police officers. Following the promise of the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, none of the Ministers took part in the procession. However, there were MPs – members of the National Union among the legionnaires’ procession. According to the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs, that there were about 1,000 participants who took part in 16 March events in Rigawhich is only 0,14% of total Rigapopulation. He thanked the rest of the Rigaresidents for not taking part in these events. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena, Neatkariga

Neatkariga prints an article about integration of Roma inDaugavpils (city in the Eastern part ofLatvia.) There are about 400 Roma residents in the city, including 118 school age children. Recently,Daugavpils has become the first Latvian city - member of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion. The membership in theAlliance will allow to share the experience, learn, solve different issues, especially connected to education and social inclusion.Daugavpils also implements some projects aimed at Roma integration. 

• 1,813,466 Latvian citizens and 262,622 Latvian non-citizens resided in Latvia on 1 January 2015
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference of an organisation “World without Nazism” conducted in Riga on 15 March
• Latvijas Avize interviews the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Einars Cilinskis

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, there were 1,813,466 Latvian citizens in Latviaon 1 January 2015. 262,622 residents has status of Latvian non-citizen. 51,029 persons have permanent residence permit. There were also 54,803 citizens of Russia, 4,838 Ukrainian citizens, 2,750 Belorussian citizens, 1,219 Uzbek citizens, and 1,200 citizens of China.  Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference of an organisation “World without Nazism” conducted inRiga on 15 March. The conference was timed to 16 March – the unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires inLatvia. According to the leader of the organisation Josifs Korens, a hotel where the conference was initially planned has refused renting the premises couple of days before the scheduled date. Mr Korens believes that the Latvian special services made a pressure on the owners of the hotel and forced it to cancel the reservation. Due to this obstacle, the conference was conducted in the premises of the Russian Union inLatvia. Participants of the conference discussed rebirth of Nazism inLatvia andEurope.

Latvijas Avize interviews the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Einars Cilinskis. Mr Cilinskis said that, presently, the main challenge forLatvia in terms of integration policy is counter actions onRussia’s propaganda. At the same time, he stresses that not only Russian speaking residents are impacted byRussia’s propaganda but also some ethnic Latvians who live inRussia’s informative space. Regarding the 16 March, Mr Cilinskis called Latvian residents to take part in the commemorative events and also said that if the President of Latvia or the Prime Minister would also took part in the procession to the Monument of Freedom in Riga and lay flowers, it could be a solution to relieve political tensions around this day. As reported, in 2014, Einars Cilinskis got dismissed from the post of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development due to his decision to take part in the procession on 16 March.