• Newspapers report about todays official visit of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov to Latvia
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference of the Russian Community in Latvia

Newspapers report about today’s official visit of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov to Latvia. In the framework of the visit, Mr. Lavrov and other Russian high officials will meet with the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers, the acting Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis and other Latvian officials. The central aim of the visit is the exchange of the instruments of ratification of the border agreement between the two countries. Also it is planned to sign a social agreement (which stipulates that working time spent by non-citizens

Newspapers report about todays official visit of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov to Latvia. In the framework of the visit, Mr. Lavrov and other Russian high officials will meet with the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers, the acting Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis and other Latvian officials. The central aim of the visit is the exchange of the instruments of ratification of the border agreement between the two countries. Also it is planned to sign a social agreement (which stipulates that working time spent by non-citizens outside of Latvia during the Soviet period would be included in the total length of service and thus their pensions would rise) and the agreement on mutual protection of monuments and burial places. The Russian officials also are planning to discuss the rights of Russian speaking residents and non-citizens in Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about a conference of the Russian Community in Latvia (RCL). The RCL has adopted a resolution requesting the following: granting Latvian citizenship to all non-citizens; granting Russian language official status in Latvia; and restoration of full-scale education in Russian language.

• Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens: all children born in Latvia should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically
• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with a specialist on education in ethnic minorities schools of the Ministry of Education Olita Arkle
• Latvijas Avize reports about a project Ethnic Diversity held by the international student organisation AIESEC RIGA

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens considers that all children born in Latvia should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically. At present, if a child is born in a family of two non-citizens Latvian citizenship could be grated only by application of both parents who must comply with several requirements such as their permanent place of residence must be Latvia; both parents should be persons without citizenship or non-citizens; and neither of parents should be sentenced for a crime with more than five years of imprisonment. The Minister believes that granting all new-borns citizenship would increase number of citizens in Latvia and would facilitate consolidation of society.

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens considers that all children born in Latvia should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically. At present, if a child is born in a family of two non-citizens Latvian citizenship could be grated only by application of both parents who must comply with several requirements such as their permanent place of residence must be Latvia; both parents should be persons without citizenship or non-citizens; and neither of parents should be sentenced for a crime with more than five years of imprisonment. The Minister believes that granting all new-borns citizenship would increase number of citizens in Latvia and would facilitate consolidation of society. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with a specialist on education in ethnic minorities schools of the Ministry of Education Olita Arkle. Mrs. Arkle considers that ethnic minorities schools provide all opportunities for preservation of ethnic identity. Mrs. Arkle believes that the main problem in minority schools is lack of good quality textbooks. According to Olita Arkle, data available in the Ministry of Education show that quality of education in minority schools after implementation of education reform in 2004 has neither worsened nor improved.

Latvijas Avize reports about a project Ethnic Diversity held by the international student organisation AIESEC RIGA. Students from various countries have visited Latvian schools sharing their experience of co-existence with representatives of ethnic minorities in their countries.

 

• State Language Centre has punished nine persons for insufficient usage of state language at work in November

Latvijas Avize reports that in November, the State Language Centre has punished nine persons, including a nurse, a bartender, and shop workers, with pecuniary penalties for insufficient usage of state language at work.

• Members of the Association of Russian Culture, Education and Science ARKONA have sent an open letter to the Latvian and Russian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins and Sergey Lavrov regarding education reform in minority schools
• General Director of the Employers Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle: Latvia should attract foreign specialists urgently
• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with one of the eldest lawyers in Latvia Alebrts Paze about a book Scaffold

Members of the Association of Russian Culture, Education and Science “ARKONA” have sent an open letter to the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov (who is planning an official visit to Latvia next week) with an appeal to hold highly professional international monitoring on results of education reform in minority schools (launched in 2004). The members of “ARKONA” also consider that Latvian legal acts should stipulate that teaching mathematics in schools with Russian as language of instruction should take place only in Russian.

Members of the Association of Russian Culture, Education and Science ARKONA have sent an open letter to the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov (who is planning an official visit to Latvia next week) with an appeal to hold highly professional international monitoring on results of education reform in minority schools (launched in 2004). The members of ARKONA also consider that Latvian legal acts should stipulate that teaching mathematics in schools with Russian as language of instruction should take place only in Russian. Chas

At a session of the Saeima’s Citizenship Law Implementation Committee, the General Director of the Employer’s Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle stated that 4,000 guest workers have arrived in Latvia which is 27, 5 times less than persons who have emigrated from Latvia to other countries. Mrs. Egle believes that Latvia should urgently attract foreign specialists because to wait that Latvians will return back to Latvia is an illusion.

At a session of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee, the General Director of the Employers Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle stated that 4,000 guest workers have arrived in Latvia which is 27, 5 times less than persons who have emigrated from Latvia to other countries. Mrs. Egle believes that Latvia should urgently attract foreign specialists because to wait that Latvians will return back to Latvia is an illusion. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with one of the eldest lawyers in Latvia Alberts Paze about the book Scaffold written by a well-known Latvian lawyer Andris Grutups. The book narrates about court proceedings against five ex-Nazi generals charged with war crimes in Latvia in 1946. The author criticizes the court proceedings and justifies the defendants. Alberts Paze believes that the book is anti-Semitic because it reflects hatred towards people of Jewish background and towards Russians. Mr. Paze also considers that the book is written with prejudice and cannot be considered documentary work.

• European Parliament supports an initiative of the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka concerning diplomatic and consular protection of the EU residents in non-EU countries
• U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Catherine Todd Bailey: integration of ethnic groups into Latvian society is very important for American government
• The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens blames Latvian mass media for creation of negative stereotypes towards Roma
• Telegraf: about 400 Roma wanted to revenge independently the attackers on two Roma girls

The European Parliament (EP) has supported an initiative of the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka concerning diplomatic and consular protection of the EU residents in non-EU countries. Presently, only citizens of the EU are able to request help in the diplomatic representation of any other EU country if representation of his/her own country is not available. The EP agreed that consular protection should be extended also to family members of the EU citizens, refugees and stateless persons who permanently reside in the EU, as well as to Latvian non-citizens. Further the proposal must be supported and adopted by the European Commission.

The European Parliament (EP) has supported an initiative of the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka concerning diplomatic and consular protection of the EU residents in non-EU countries. Presently, only citizens of the EU are able to request help in the diplomatic representation of any other EU country if representation of his/her own country is not available. The EP agreed that consular protection should be extended also to family members of the EU citizens, refugees and stateless persons who permanently reside in the EU, as well as to Latvian non-citizens. Further the proposal must be supported and adopted by the European Commission. Chas

Vesti Segodnya prints interview with the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Catherine Todd Bailey. According to the Ambassador, integration of ethnic groups into Latvian society is very important for American government. Mrs. Todd Bailey considers that Russian speaking minorities in Latvia should not feel alienated from the state and society.

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens blames Latvian mass media for creation of negative stereotypes towards Roma. Particularly, the Minister criticizes an informative TV program on extraordinary and criminal chronicles which has shown a news story about a criminal case where Roma people were involved. The authors of the news story have advised the TV viewers to avoid contact with Roma who have hypnotic abilities.

The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens blames Latvian mass media for creation of negative stereotypes towards Roma. Particularly, the Minister criticizes an informative TV program on extraordinary and criminal chronicles which has shown a news story about a criminal case where Roma people were involved. The authors of the news story have advised the TV viewers to avoid contact with Roma who have hypnotic abilities. Telegraf

Telegraf reports that after an attack on two young Roma girls, about 400 Roma wanted to revenge the attackers independently because they did not believe that police can help in this case. Yet, the Roma decided not to revenge the attackers, because, according to the head of a Roma NGO Normunds Rudevics, such problems in democratic society must be solved in legal way. As reported, two 13-year-old girls were attacked allegedly by a group of skinheads in Riga in October.