• Head of the political party Latvias Way Ivars Godmanis on granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections

Weekly magazine

Weekly magazine Nedela features an interview with the head of the political party Latvias Way Ivars Godmanis on the issues concerning granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. According to Ivars Godmanis, the present Latvias Ways program declares that only Latvian citizens have the rights to participate in elections. However, Ivars Godmanis believed that there is a need for debates and discussions on this issue and that a national referendum is the only way to solve the problem. Ivars Godmanis has also pointed to a need to find opportunities for Russians and Latvians mutual integration based on the common future, not on historical events.

• Leader of the Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers: majority of the Saeima is not ready to support granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections

In an interview with

In an interview with Vesti Segodnya, the leader of the Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers has stated that the majority of MPs is not ready to support granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. According to Ainars Slesers, a national referendum is the best way to take a decision on this issue. Mr. Slesers believed that granting voting rights to non-citizens would promote national stability in Latvia.

• Saeima has adopted the declaration supporting the Estonian decision to remove the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn
• Chas interviews the head of the Russian Community of Liepaja and a member of the European Russian Alliance Valerijs Kravcovs
• Consultative Council on Ethnic Minority Education discussed LASHORs proposal to introduce a compulsory examination in the native language and literature in minority schools

Yesterday, the Saeima has adopted a draft declaration supporting the Estonian decision to remove the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn. The declaration also condemns the Russian Federation for its intervention into Estonian internal affairs. The MP from the oppositional left wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia Nikolajs Kabanovs has stated that the adoption of such declaration could worsen Latvian-Russian relations.

Yesterday, the Saeima has adopted a draft declaration supporting the Estonian decision to remove the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn. The declaration also condemns the Russian Federation for its intervention into Estonian internal affairs. The MP from the oppositional left wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia Nikolajs Kabanovs has stated that the adoption of such declaration could worsen Latvian-Russian relations. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Diena, Latvijas Avize, NRA

Chas features an interview with the head of the Russian Community of Liepaja (city in the Northern part of Latvia) and a member of the European Russian Alliance Valerijs Kravcovs stating that the members of the European Russian Alliance are concerned about the lack of Latvian non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. According to Valerijs Kravcovs, the Russian Community of Liepaja would support any political party agreeing to grant voting rights to non-citizens.

Yesterday, the Consultative Council on Ethnic Minority Education of the Ministry of Education and Science has discussed a proposal of the Latvian Association for Support of Russian Language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) to introduce a compulsory examination in the native language and literature in minority schools. The LASHOR’s head Igors Pimenovs has argued that the main objective of the proposal is the preservation of minorities’ native language and culture by means of raising students’ motivation to learn their native language and literature. However, the representative of the Centre of Education and Examination Content has claimed that students willing to pass examination in native language and literature already have such an opportunity and that the number of such students is increasing. The proposal will be further discussed at the Cabinet of Ministers’s session.

Yesterday, the Consultative Council on Ethnic Minority Education of the Ministry of Education and Science has discussed a proposal of the Latvian Association for Support of Russian Language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) to introduce a compulsory examination in the native language and literature in minority schools. The LASHORs head Igors Pimenovs has argued that the main objective of the proposal is the preservation of minorities native language and culture by means of raising students motivation to learn their native language and literature. However, the representative of the Centre of Education and Examination Content has claimed that students willing to pass examination in native language and literature already have such an opportunity and that the number of such students is increasing. The proposal will be further discussed at the Cabinet of Ministerss session. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Newspapers report on the Victory Day events
• All for Latvia! proposes to hold a public discussion on the removal of the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders
• State Language Centre has punished 183 persons for insufficient usage of Latvian language at work during the first four months of 2007

Yesterday, several thousands people took part in the “Victory Day” celebrations near the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders in Riga and other Latvian cities. Meanwhile, the extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvia acronym), as planned, held a protest action against the celebrations nearby the Monument. A young man who has pulled out a poster from the hands of a member of the protest action has been arrested. The Police have also detained a member of the former neo-Nazi organisation “Perkonkrusts” Igors Siskins who has unrolled a banner with swastika. Yesterday, the Prime Minister of Latvia Aigars Kalvitis has blamed the right wing radicals for their attempts to provoke conflicts nearby the Monument in Riga.

Yesterday, several thousands people took part in the Victory Day celebrations near the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders in Riga andother Latvian cities. Meanwhile, the extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvia acronym), as planned, held a protest action against the celebrations nearby the Monument. A young man who has pulled out a poster from the hands of a member of the protest action has been arrested. The Police have also detained a member of the former neo-Nazi organisation Perkonkrusts Igors Siskins who has unrolled a banner with swastika. Yesterday, the Prime Minister of Latvia Aigars Kalvitis has blamed the right wing radicals for their attempts to provoke conflicts nearby the Monument in Riga. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Latvijas Avize, NRA, Telegraf

Yesterday, the ultra-right political party “All for Latvia!” has appealed to the right wing political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and its member the Mayor of Riga Janis Birks to hold a public discussion concerning the removal of the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. The leader of “All for Latvia!” Raivis Dzintars has stated that the location of such a monument in the centre of the capital does not comply with the official interpretation of history concerning the WWII. However, the Mayor of Riga does not support the removal of the Monument.

Yesterday, the ultra-right political party All for Latvia! has appealed to the right wing political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and its member the Mayor of Riga Janis Birks to hold a public discussion concerning the removal of the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. The leader of All for Latvia! Raivis Dzintars has stated that the location of such a monument in the centre of the capital does not comply with the official interpretation of history concerning the WWII. However, the Mayor of Riga does not support the removal of the Monument. Chas, Latvijas Avize

Newspapers report that the State Language Centre has punished 183 persons, including 18 teachers, a school director and two director’s substitutes, for insufficient usage of Latvian language at work during the first four months of 2007. Two school directors were fined for hiring people with insufficient state language skills.

Newspapers report that the State Language Centre has punished 183 persons, including 18 teachers, a school director and two directors substitutes, for insufficient usage of Latvian language at work during the first four months of 2007. Two school directors were fined for hiring people with insufficient state language skills. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

• Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kalyuzhniy

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kalyuzhniy criticizing the decision of the Riga City Council to issue a permit for the extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in it Latvian acronym) to hold a protest action against celebration of the Victory Day near the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders on 9 May. According to Viktor Kalyuzhniy, such protest action is insulting to WWII veterans. The Ambassador believed that similar disorders that occurred in Tallinn because of the removal of the Red Army war memorial from the centre of the city would not happen in Latvia.