• MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka proposes that budgets of the European Commission and EU member states should provide financial support to NGOs fighting for human rights

The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka proposes that budgets of the European Commission and the EU member states should provide financial support to NGOs fighting for human rights. The journalist of

The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka proposes that budgets of the European Commission and the EU member states should provide financial support to NGOs fighting for human rights. The journalist of Latvijas Avize has alleged that this proposal is an attempt to grant funding for NGOs dealing with the rights of Russian speakers in Latvia. Another MEP from Latvia Inese Vaidere in an interview with Latvijas Avize criticizes the proposal arguing that the EU policies are already tackling discrimination and the member states already established national anti-discrimination bodies. Instead, the EU funding should rather go to human rights NGOs outside the EU. Inese Vaidere also stated that Russians or Russian speakers are not discriminated in Latvia. Latvijas Avize

• Vesti Segodnya and Latvijas Avize print various opinions about the statement of the State Language Centre that state officials must speak only in Latvian with Russian speaking journalists from Latvia
• NRA prints an interview with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov
• Chas reports about a seminar Future of Latvia: Development Scenarious, Problems

Vesti Segodnya and Latvijas Avize print various opinions about the statement of the State Language Centre that state officials must speak only in Latvian with Russian speaking journalists from Latvia. Representative of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights has stated that initiative to speak in Russian with Russian journalists must come from the officials because it demonstrates their openness to Russian speaking audience. Political Scientist Lolita Cigane believes that prohibition for the officials to speak Russian language would narrow their official duties because it decreases their chances to be heard by a particular part of the society. Famous Latvian journalist Janis Domburs also believes that it is an absurd to forbid officials to speak in foreign languages with journalists. Also several MPs interviewed by Latvijas Avize consider that speaking in Russian with representatives of mass media helps them to be heard by all residents of Latvia.

NRA prints an interview with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov. According to the Ambassador, presently, the Russian State Duma reviews the draft amendments of law stipulating simplified procedure on grant of visas and cross of Russias borders and these amendments might be also referred to Latvian non-citizens. Mr. Veshnyakov also has stated that by 31 March in the framework of Russias national program on voluntary permanent resettlement to Russia of Russian compatriots, 355 applications were received from Latvian residents (110 from Latvian citizens and 165 from non-citizens). The Ambassador has informed that the Days of Russian Culture are planned to be held in Riga from 16 July to 30 November.

Chas reports about a seminar Future of Latvia: Development Scenarios, Problems held by an NGO Council of Humanitarian Seminar (official name of the organisation is in Latin: Seminarium Hortus Humanitatis). Participants of the seminar – experts, politicians and representatives of NGOs – have discussed various issues, including possible scenarios of Latvias future development in the context of ethnic policy.

• Latvian Association for Support of Russian Language Schools will continue its work aimed at facilitating preservation and development of education in Russian language
• State Language Centre has appealed to journalists and state officials to communicate only in Latvian language
• Concord Centre proposes to grant Latvian citizenship automatically to those non-citizens who graduated any of Latvias secondary schools

Chas reports that the Latvian Association for Support of Russian Language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) has re-affirmed that its future activities are aimed at facilitating preservation and development of education in Russian language. The LASHOR believes that development of Russian language and culture in Latvia is possible only in correlation with preservation and development of Latvian language and culture and cultures of other ethnic groups in Latvia.

The State Language Centre (SLC) has appealed to journalists to communicate only in Latvian language. The SLC also has appealed to state officials to reply to journalists only in Latvian.

The State Language Centre (SLC) has appealed to journalists to communicate only in Latvian language. The SLC also has appealed to state officials to reply to journalists only in Latvian. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Political party the Concord Centre is preparing draft amendments to the Law on Citizenship according to which non-citizens who have graduated any of Latvia’s secondary schools should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically regardless of whether it is a Latvian language school or a school implementing ethnic minority education programme. Presently, only graduates of Latvian language schools are granted citizenship automatically.

Political party the Concord Centre is preparing draft amendments to the Law on Citizenship according to which non-citizens who have graduated any of Latvias secondary schools should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically regardless of whether it is a Latvian language school or a school implementing ethnic minority education programme. Presently, only graduates of Latvian language schools are granted citizenship automatically. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Chas

• Vesti Segodnya reports on establishment of a Roma coalition of the Baltic Sea region

Yesterday, in the framework of the International Roma Day, leaders of Roma communities from Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden have established a Roma coalition of the Baltic Sea region. The aim of the coalition is to join forces to solve on the European level problems facing Roma people, such as ethnic integration into society and labour market, education, preservation of cultural heritage, and combat of discrimination.

Yesterday, in the framework of the International Roma Day, leaders of Roma communities from Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden have established a Roma coalition of the Baltic Sea region. The aim of the coalition is to join forces to solve on the European level problems facing Roma people, such as ethnic integration into society and labour market, education, preservation of cultural heritage, and combat of discrimination. Vesti Segodnya

• Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens: status of non-citizens in Latvia complies with all international norms
• State Language Centre has received 201 complaints on violations of the State Language Law during first free months of 2008
• MP Boriss Cilevics: Americans are willing to co-operate with so-called Russian parties in Latvia with an aim to combat corruption in the country
• Newspapers report about presentation of series of books about Holocaust Memory and Name

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens has stated that status of non-citizens in Latvia complies with all international norms. Therefore, the Minister believes that a statement by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin that hundreds of thousands of non-citizens in Latvia hinder development of democracy in the country is false.  The Minister also has stated that there is no sense to propose to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections because the majority of Saeima will not support it.

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens has stated that status of non-citizens in Latvia complies with all international norms. Therefore, the Minister believes that a statement by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin that hundreds of thousands of non-citizens in Latvia hinder development of democracy in the country is false. The Minister also has stated that there is no sense to propose to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections because the majority of Saeima will not support it.

The State Language Centre has received 201 complaints on violations of the State Language Law during first free months of 2008, - a 70% increase when compared to the same period in 2007. In 2008, already 225 persons were punished for violation of the State Language Law, including 144 persons punished for insufficient usage of state language at work.

The State Language Centre has received 201 complaints on violations of the State Language Law during first free months of 2008, - a 70% increase when compared to the same period in 2007. In 2008, already 225 persons were punished for violation of the State Language Law, including 144 persons punished for insufficient usage of state language at work. Chas

Chas prints an interview with a representative of Latvia in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, MP Boriss Cilevics (the Concord Centre). Mr. Cilevics has stated that representatives of the United States of America in Latvia are disappointed in so-called ethnic Latvian parties, therefore, they are willing to co-operate with so-called Russian parties in Latvia with an aim to combat corruption in the country.

President of the International Association of Ghetto and Jewish Genocide History, writer Leonids Kovals has presented series of books about Holocaust “Memory and Name”.

President of the International Association of Ghetto and Jewish Genocide History, writer Leonids Kovals has presented series of books about Holocaust Memory and Name. Chas, Vesti Segodnya