• Ombudsman Romans Apsitis: state and municipal institutions working on promotion of integration and observance of human rights should be granted the right to provide information in foreign languages
• Ministry of Justice will be entrusted with integration policy

The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis replied to a request of the party For Human Rights in United Latvia regarding compliance of Article 21 of the State Language Law with Latvian Constitution. The article prohibits state and municipal institutions to provide information in foreign languages accept in particularly mentioned cases. The Ombudsman concluded that the threats to the state sovereignty are not as acute as some 10 years ago, and therefore normative regulations should be well-grounded and proportionately changed. The Ombudsman considers that state and municipal institutions which work on promotion of integration and observance of human rights should be granted the right to provide information in foreign languages without special request. According to a representative of the FHRUL, conclusion of the Ombudsman will serve as a basis for turning to the Constitutional Court, challenging the compliance of Article 21 with the Constitution.

The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis replied to a request of the party For Human Rights in United Latvia regarding compliance of Article 21 of the State Language Law with Latvian Constitution. The article prohibits state and municipal institutions to provide information in foreign languages accept in particularly mentioned cases. The Ombudsman concluded that the threats to the state sovereignty are not as acute as some 10 years ago, and therefore normative regulations should be well-grounded and proportionately changed. The Ombudsman considers that state and municipal institutions which work on promotion of integration and observance of human rights should be granted the right to provide information in foreign languages without special request. According to a representative of the FHRUL, conclusion of the Ombudsman will serve as a basis for turning to the Constitutional Court, challenging the compliance of Article 21 with the Constitution. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the government decided to divide functions of the Ministry of Children, Family and Integration Affairs among three other ministries. Elaboration and implementation of integration policy will be entrusted to the Ministry of Justice.

Yesterday, the government decided to divide functions of the Ministry of Children, Family and Integration Affairs among three other ministries. Elaboration and implementation of integration policy will be entrusted to the Ministry of Justice. NRA

• 3,465 persons from 73 countries arrived to Latvia in 2008 for permanent residency
• Chas interviews head of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee Eduards Goncarovs who was expelled from Estonia
• Latvijas Avize reports that a conference School Revolution in Latvia (2004-2006): learning of recent history is held today in Moscow

According to the Central Statistics Bureau of Latvia, 3,465 persons from 73 countries arrived to Latvia in 2008 for permanent residency (2,2% fewer than in 2007). At the same time, 6,007 persons emigrated from Latvia to 90 countries (43,6% more than in 2007).

According to the Central Statistics Bureau of Latvia, 3,465 persons from 73 countries arrived to Latvia in 2008 for permanent residency (2,2% fewer than in 2007). At the same time, 6,007 persons emigrated from Latvia to 90 countries (43,6% more than in 2007). Chas

Chas interviews head of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee Eduards Goncarovs. As reported, Mr. Goncarovs and his colleague travelled to Tallinn in order to take part in the press-conference on events concerning the removal of the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn in 2007 but were detained and expelled from Estonia. According to Goncarovs, they were explained that they are included into the list of persons whose entrance to Estonia is forbidden and with an escort of special mission unit they were taken to back to Latvia. Eduards Goncarovs and his colleague are planning to appeal the decision of Estonian officials in the European Court of Human Rights.

Latvijas Avize reports that a conference School Revolution in Latvia (2004-2006): learning of recent history is held today in Moscow by the NGO Historical Memory. The aim of the conference is to study activities of Russian residents of Latvia to protect secondary education in Russian language.

• Estonian police detained representatives of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee and the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka
• Chas prints an article about community of Old Believers in Latvia
• The most popular parties in April are the Concord Centre and the New Era

Newspapers reports that on Sunday, Estonian police detained two representatives of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee and the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka who travelled to Estonia in order to take part in the press-conference on events concerning the removal of the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn in 2007. According to Mrs. Zdanoka, the police released her after checking her  identity documents, while the anti-fascists were taken away by the police into an unknown destination.

Newspapers reports that on Sunday, Estonian police detained two representatives of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee and the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka who travelled to Estonia in order to take part in the press-conference on events concerning the removal of the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn in 2007. According to Mrs. Zdanoka, the police released her after checking her identity documents, while the anti-fascists were taken away by the police into an unknown destination. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Diena

Chas prints an article about community of Old Believers in Latvia. According to the article, Old Believers are successful in preservation of their culture trough observance of ancient religious traditions.

According to the latest public opinion survey held by the market and social research company “Latvijas fakti”, the Concord Centre and the New Era are the most popular parties in Latvia – 13.7% and 12.5% of Latvian citizens would vote for them if the Saeima elections were held in April. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of Latvian citizens. 33.2 % of respondents have not decided whom to vote for yet, while 16.7% of respondents would not participate in the elections.

According to the latest public opinion survey held by the market and social research company Latvijas fakti, the Concord Centre and the New Era are the most popular parties in Latvia – 13.7% and 12.5% of Latvian citizens would vote for them if the Saeima elections were held in April. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of Latvian citizens. 33.2 % of respondents have not decided whom to vote for yet, while 16.7% of respondents would not participate in the elections. Diena

• Ministry of Welfare in order to eliminate discrimination of non-citizens pensioners proposes to cut pensions of citizens
• Saeima refused the draft law which envisaged granting non-citizens the right to take part in the European Parliament elections
• Riga City Elections Commission accepted for revision list of non-citizens
• Riga City Council cancelled its decision to close two Russian language elementary schools

Chas reports that the Ministry of Welfare in order to eliminate discrimination of non-citizens pensioners proposes to cut pensions of citizens. According to the newspaper, the draft amendments to the Law on State Pensions prepared by the Ministry indeed use the same approach to calculate pensions of Latvian citizens and non-citizens retiring after 1 January 2010: the years of Soviet-era employment at enterprises registered in other ex-USSR countries will not be included into the total length of service if Latvia does not have social agreement with those countries. At present, only citizens have the Soviet-era employment years outside of Latvia included into the total length of service. As reported, the Ministry of Welfare prepared the draft amendments as a response to a recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in favour of a Latvian pensioner, non-citizen Natalija Andrejeva who objected the fact that the years of her employment during the Soviet times at an enterprise located in Latvia but registered in Moscow and Kiev is not included in the total length of service on the ground that she does not have Latvian citizenship.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused the draft law which envisaged granting non-citizens the right to take part in the European Parliament elections proposed by the party For Human Rights in United Latvia.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused the draft law which envisaged granting non-citizens the right to take part in the European Parliament elections proposed by the party For Human Rights in United Latvia. Chas

Yesterday, the Riga City Elections Commission accepted for revision a list of candidates for the Riga City Council submitted by the Osipov’s Party. The list contains only Latvian non-citizens and is headed by the leader of the Latvian National Bolsheviks Vladimir Linderman. The list was submitted as a protest against the fact that Latvian non-citizens who lived in Latvia all their lives do not have the right to take part in the municipal elections while this right is granted to citizens of other EU countries who might have lived in Latvia for a few years.

Yesterday, the Riga City Elections Commission accepted for revision a list of candidates for the Riga City Council submitted by the Osipovs Party. The list contains only Latvian non-citizens and is headed by the leader of the Latvian National Bolsheviks Vladimir Linderman. The list was submitted as a protest against the fact that Latvian non-citizens who lived in Latvia all their lives do not have the right to take part in the municipal elections while this right is granted to citizens of other EU countries who might have lived in Latvia for a few years. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Committee on Education, Youth and Sports Affairs of the Riga City Council cancelled its decision to close two Russian language elementary schools in Riga.

The Committee on Education, Youth and Sports Affairs of the Riga City Council cancelled its decision to close two Russian language elementary schools in Riga. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

• Pensions of non-citizens retired before 1 January 2010 will not be re-calculated
• European Parliament approved a report, which includes concern about the fact that Latvian non-citizens do not have voting rights in municipal elections
• Vesti Segodnya interviews ethnic Latvian entrepreneur who criticizes ethnic Latvians for their derogatory attitude towards Russians

Telegraf reports that the draft amendments to the Law on State Pensions elaborated by the Ministry of Welfare stipulating equal approach to calculation of pensions to citizens and non-citizens of Latvia will apply only on those non-citizens pensioners who will retire after the draft amendments will come into force, probably on 1 January 2010. Pensions of non-citizens retired before this date will not be re-calculated. As reported, the Ministry of Welfare elaborated such amendments after the European Court of Human Rights issued ruling in favour of a Latvian pensioner, non-citizen Natalija Andrejeva who objected the fact that the years of her employment during the Soviet times at an enterprise located in Latvia but registered in Moscow and Kiev is not included in the total length of service on the ground that she does not have Latvian citizenship.

Chas reports that yesterday, the European Parliament approved a report on activities of the Petitions Committee in 2008, which includes concern about the fact that Latvian non-citizens do not have voting rights in municipal elections.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with an ethnic Latvian entrepreneur who criticizes ethnic Latvians for their derogatory attitude towards Russia and Russian residents living in Latvia. The entrepreneur believes that ethnic Latvians should improve relations with Russians in order to save the countrys future.