• Newspapers report on the events over the Estonian governments decision to remove Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn
• 2,801 persons have arrived to Latvia for residency in 2006
• Conference For and Against Tolerance

Newspapers report on the events over the Estonian government’s decision to remove the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn. The removal of the memorial has caused mass protests and clashes between the police and mainly Russian speaking residents. Several Latvian so-called ‘anti-fascistic’ and Russian NGOs have issued a public statement criticizing the decision of the Estonian government and the brutal way in which the police have suppressed the protests. NGOs believe that Estonian government has insulted Russians and has provoked tension in the society. 

Newspapers report on the events over the Estonian governments decision to remove the Red Army war memorial from the centre of Tallinn. The removal of the memorial has caused mass protests and clashes between the police and mainly Russian speaking residents. Several Latvian so-called ‘anti-fascistic and Russian NGOs have issued a public statement criticizing the decision of the Estonian government and the brutal way in which the police have suppressed the protests. NGOs believe that Estonian government has insulted Russians and has provoked tension in the society. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

According to the Central Statistics Bureau, 2,801 persons have arrived to Latvia for residency while 5,252 persons have emigrated from Latvia in 2006. 

According to the Central Statistics Bureau, 2,801 persons have arrived to Latvia for residency while 5,252 persons have emigrated from Latvia in 2006. Diena

Diena reports on a conference For and Against Tolerance held by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration on 27 April. The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis has stated that the number of complaints on discrimination has increased in 2006 as compared with the previous years. Romans Apsitis and a MEP from Latvia Georgs Andrejevs have stated that there is a need for elaboration of a mechanism of combating hate speech in legislation. The Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens has pointed to many declarative issues included in the national program for promotion of tolerance and to the need of its improvement. Diena

• Riga District Court Prosecutors Office has started a criminal prosecution against two young people for violation of ethnic and racial equality
• Saeima has refused FHRUL proposal to grant non-citizens voting rights

The Riga District Court Prosecutor’s Office

The Riga District Court Prosecutors Office has started a criminal prosecution against two young people under Section 78 of the Criminal Law for violation of ethnic and racial equality. As reported, in December 2006, a young girl, citizen of Brazil, accompanied by two locals, was attacked by a group of skinheads in the centre of Riga. Two of the skinheads were detained shortly after the incident. Chas

Yesterday, the Saeima has refused a proposal of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections.

Yesterday, the Saeima has refused a proposal of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Riga City Council has issued permission to the extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union to hold a protest action against celebration of Victory Day on 9 May
• Leader of the Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers proposes to hold a national referendum to decide whether non-citizens have to be granted voting rights in municipal elections
• Tatjana Zdanoka has established a foundation in support of Russian language schools in Latvia

The Riga City Council has issued permission to members of extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvian acronym) to hold a protest action against celebration of “Victory Day” on 9 May. Members of the NSS are planning to put flowers in memory of “the victims of Bolshevik terror” beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. At the same day several other organisations are planning to hold events in the honour of “Victory Day” and Soviet soldiers near the Monument. Leader of the Latvian Socialist party Alfreds Rubiks in an interview with

The Riga City Council has issued permission to members of extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvian acronym) to hold a protest action against celebration of Victory Day on 9 May. Members of the NSS are planning to put flowers in memory of the victims of Bolshevik terror beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. At the same day several other organisations are planning to hold events in the honour of Victory Day and Soviet soldiers near the Monument. Leader of the Latvian Socialist party Alfreds Rubiks in an interview with Vesti Segodnya has stated that the action of the NSS may provoke conflicts with WWII veterans. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, NRA

Latvijas Avize and Telegraf report that the leader of the Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers has proposed to hold a national referendum to decide whether non-citizens of Latvia have to be granted voting rights in municipal elections. Ainars Slesers considered that such referendum could be held at the same time with municipal elections in 2009.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the MEP from Latvia, member of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka has established a foundation in support of Russian language schools in Latvia. The foundation is planning to hold various projects with an aim to preserve Russian schools and to inform students and their parents on issues concerning education.

• Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has reviewed draft amendments to the Criminal Law

Yesterday, the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has reviewed draft amendments to the Criminal Law supported by the Saeima in the second reading. The Committee has supported the proposals stipulating criminal liability for a person who made an attempt to pass naturalisation exam or state language proficiency test instead of a real applicant for citizenship or for state language proficiency certificate. Such persons might be punished with imprisonment or pecuniary penalty. Also, the Committee has refused a proposal to set criminal liability for violation of prohibition of any discrimination. Accordingly, at present, the draft amendments stipulate criminal liability only for violation of national, ethnic, racial or religious prohibition of discrimination.

Yesterday, the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has reviewed draft amendments to the Criminal Law supported by the Saeima in the second reading. The Committee has supported the proposals stipulating criminal liability for a person who made an attempt to pass naturalisation exam or state language proficiency test instead of a real applicant for citizenship or for state language proficiency certificate. Such persons might be punished with imprisonment or pecuniary penalty. Also, the Committee has refused a proposal to set criminal liability for violation of prohibition of any discrimination. Accordingly, at present, the draft amendments stipulate criminal liability only for violation of national, ethnic, racial or religious prohibition of discrimination. Latvijas Avize

• State Language Centre continues to examine state language proficiency of the Latvian Railways workers
• IUMSILS has granted funding in amount of LVL 4,198 (EUR 5,973) to Roma NGOs
• National Power Union is planning to put flowers in memory of the victims of Bolshevik terror beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders on 9 May
• Article by the head of the Council of Daugavpils branch of Russian Community in Latvia on the reformation of national education system

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Language Centres inspectors continue to examine state language proficiency of the Latvian Railways workers. In an interview with the newspaper, the member of the Saeimas Social Affairs Committee Andrejs Klementjevs believed that such inspections are humiliating for non-service workers. Andrejs Klementjevs considered that the Ministry of Transport must interfere into the situation and to stop language inspections.

NRA reports that the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) has granted funding in amount of LVL 4,198 (EUR 5,973) to Roma NGOs for support of programs aimed at promotion of tolerance and combating of intolerance towards Roma people.

Extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvian acronym) is planning to put flowers in memory of “the victims of Bolshevik terror” beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders on 9 May. As reported, several other organisations are planning to hold events in the honour of “Victory Day” and soviet soldiers near the Monument.

Extreme ultra-right organisation National Power Union (NSS in its Latvian acronym) is planning to put flowers in memory of the victims of Bolshevik terror beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders on 9 May. As reported, several other organisations are planning to hold events in the honour of Victory Day and soviet soldiers near the Monument. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Chas prints an article by the head of the Council of Daugavpils branch of Russian Community in Latvia Aleksejs Vasiljevs on the reformation of national education system. Mr. Vasiljevs criticizes a decision of the Ministry of Education to adopt Latvian language learning program which stipulates passing a common centralized examination in the state language for students both at Latvian and non-Latvian-language secondary schools. Aleksejs Vasiljevs believes that Russian speaking students will not be able to pass examination at the same level as Latvians.