• Vesti Segodnya prints opinions of its readers on the reasons why they do not naturalise
• Russian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will try to achieve exclusion of notion non-citizen from Estonian and Latvian legal acts

Vesti Segodnya prints opinions of its readers on the reasons why they do not naturalise. According to some readers they do not naturalise because they cannot agree with interpretation of some historical facts included in the naturalisation test such as occupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union. Some persons consider that it is humiliating to go trough naturalisation procedure, while the others have troubles to pass Latvian language examination.

Latvijas Avize reports that Russian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will try to achieve exclusion of notion non-citizen from Estonian and Latvian legal acts. According to the head of Russian delegation, such notion contradicts principles of the European Human Rights Convention.

• The Ministry of Justice is finalising new list of different state language requirements for representatives of different professions
• Representatives of universities comment the draft Law on Higher Education Establishments
• The Minister of Economics believes that during the next five years Latvias economy will not need a substantial number of guest workers

The Ministry of Justice is finalising new list of different state language requirements for representatives of different professions. According to

The Ministry of Justice is finalising new list of different state language requirements for representatives of different professions. According to Vesti-Segodnya, 14 pages-long list includes professions such as sports athletes and street cleaners. The requirement to know the state language at the highest level is extended to managers and engineers, as well as to teachers of private minority education establishments. The draft envisages penalties such as fines or dismissal form the job for the lack of the state language proficiency certificate or failure to communicate in the state language according to the required level of proficiency. Newspapers also report that the State Language Centre of the Ministry of Justice decided to increase to 3 the number of state language inspectors in Daugavpils (mainly Russian-speaking town in the East of Latvia). Vesti-Segodnya, Chas

Vesti-Segodnya interviews representatives of universities about the draft Law on Higher Education Establishments, which envisages prohibition to teach in foreign languages in private universities. Representatives of private universities criticised the draft, arguing that it infringes the rights of students as consumers, interferes with private enterprise, curtails the export of education, which attracted foreign students to universities of Latvia and motivates young people to go elsewhere in search of better education.

The Minister of Economics believes that during the next five years Latvia’s economy will not need a substantial number of guest workers. As reported, 3,113 foreigners received official work permits in Latvia in 2007, - three-fold increase from 2006.

The Minister of Economics believes that during the next five years Latvias economy will not need a substantial number of guest workers. As reported, 3,113 foreigners received official work permits in Latvia in 2007, - three-fold increase from 2006. Chas

• Newspapers report about the visit of the Delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
• The Concord Centre considers possibilities to oppose the proposed prohibition to teach in foreign languages in private universities

Newspapers report about the visit to Latvia of a delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Yesterday, the delegation held meetings with Latvian human rights and social integration experts as well as with representatives of municipalities and the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government, discussing the rights of non-citizens, naturalisation and language policy. The delegation repeated recommendations to grant Latvian non-citizens the right to vote in municipal elections. The head of the delegation Jean-Claude Frecon also stated that non-citizens’ right to vote in municipal elections is a common value of the Council of Europe and it should not be perceived as an issue focussed on Latvia or Russians.

Newspapers report about the visit to Latvia of a delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Yesterday, the delegation held meetings with Latvian human rights and social integration experts as well as with representatives of municipalities and the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government, discussing the rights of non-citizens, naturalisation and language policy. The delegation repeated recommendations to grant Latvian non-citizens the right to vote in municipal elections. The head of the delegation Jean-Claude Frecon also stated that non-citizens right to vote in municipal elections is a common value of the Council of Europe and it should not be perceived as an issue focussed on Latvia or Russians. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Concord Centre considers possibilities to oppose the proposed draft Law on Higher Education Establishments, which envisages prohibition to teach in foreign languages in private universities. According to MP Boriss Cilevics (the Concord Centre), this norm represents linguistic discrimination, contradicts Latvia’s international obligations and would generate a number of court suits filed by private universities. If the present version of the draft law is adopted by the Saeima, the Concord Centre will probably file a complaint to the Constitutional court or act on the international level. He also alleges the proposed ban will benefit national-radicals, who are interested in heightening tensions in society on the eve of elections.

The Concord Centre considers possibilities to oppose the proposed draft Law on Higher Education Establishments, which envisages prohibition to teach in foreign languages in private universities. According to MP Boriss Cilevics (the Concord Centre), this norm represents linguistic discrimination, contradicts Latvias international obligations and would generate a number of court suits filed by private universities. If the present version of the draft law is adopted by the Saeima, the Concord Centre will probably file a complaint to the Constitutional court or act on the international level. He also alleges the proposed ban will benefit national-radicals, who are interested in heightening tensions in society on the eve of elections. Telegraf, Chas

• Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has supported the draft Law on Higher Education Establishments which forbids teaching in foreign languages in all higher education establishments
• Vesti Segodnya: municipal police ignores public display of Nazi symbolic in Riga
• Delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe gets acquainted with situation of non-citizens in Riga

Yesterday, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has supported the draft Law on Higher Education Establishments which forbids teaching in foreign languages in all higher education establishments. In fact, it forbids receiving higher education in Russian language. The political party “The Concord Centre” criticizes the draft law arguing that it is an unacceptable interference into private enterprise and a violation of rights of students to choose language of studies.

Yesterday, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has supported the draft Law on Higher Education Establishments which forbids teaching in foreign languages in all higher education establishments. In fact, it forbids receiving higher education in Russian language. The political party The Concord Centre criticizes the draft law arguing that it is an unacceptable interference into private enterprise and a violation of rights of students to choose language of studies. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

According to columnist

According to columnist of Vesti Segodnya municipal police ignores public display of Nazi symbolic and trade of Nazi badges and uniforms in Riga.

Latvijas Avize reports on a visit to Latvia of a delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The delegation has arrived with an aim to get acquainted with participation on non-citizens in political and social life at level of municipalities. Yesterday, the delegation has met with the Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane, representatives of NGOs and the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration.

• Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins: strengthening the positions of the state language is one of his priorities
• FF/LNIM has adopted a resolution calling to promote the departure of ethnic non-Latvians from the country
• Lawyer Aleksejs Dimitrovs: there are no legal obstacles for adoption of a draft law on granting Jewish community compensation for properties lost during the Holocaust in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about draft amendments to the Citizenship Law elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration

Chas prints an interview with the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM). The Minister has stated that strengthening the positions of the state language is one his priorities as a Minister. Mr. Berzins considers that status of Latvian language as state language must be strengthened at all levels in Latvia. The Minister has stated that a person who wants to change ethnicity to ethnic Latvian must know Latvian language.

Newspapers report that the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) has adopted a resolution which calls to slow-down the departure of ethnic Latvians from Latvia and promote the departure of ethnic non-Latvians.  The FF/LNIM considers that those ethnic non-Latvians who stay in Latvia should assimilate. The FF/LNIM also categorically objects against an influx of guest workers from non-EU countries to Latvia.

Newspapers report that the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) has adopted a resolution which calls to slow-down the departure of ethnic Latvians from Latvia and promote the departure of ethnic non-Latvians. The FF/LNIM considers that those ethnic non-Latvians who stay in Latvia should assimilate. The FF/LNIM also categorically objects against an influx of guest workers from non-EU countries to Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

In an interview with

In an interview with Telegraf, lawyer Aleksejs Dimitrovs has stated that there are no legal obstacles for adoption of a draft law on granting Jewish community compensation for properties lost during the Holocaust in Latvia. As reported, in 2006, Saeima did not support the draft law on granting LVL 32,000,000 (EUR 45,531,897) and some real estate buildings to the Jewish Community arguing that it contradicts Latvian Civil Law. Aleksejs Dimitrovs considers that compensation to the victims of Holocaust in this case cannot be regulated by the Civil Law, therefore, adoption of the draft law is fully within the competences of the Saeima.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about draft amendments to the Citizenship Law elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. At present the draft amendments stipulate granting dual citizenship only for persons who were Latvian citizens until 1940 and their descendants. The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane criticizes the draft amendments because they substantially change Latvian position towards multiple citizenship and stipulate too wide range of persons who are allowed to be granted Latvian citizenship, including those persons who allegedly have no connections with Latvia and do not know Latvian language. Mrs. Aldermane considers that Latvian citizenship could be granted to children of Latvian citizens born abroad with a remark that child should choose which citizenship to keep after reaching the age of 18. The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins also criticizes the amendments arguing that Latvia should not permit dual citizenship except for very special cases.