• Latvijas Avize features an interview with the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris
• Columnist of Latvijas Avize criticizes an advice for young people given by the Employers Confederation of Latvia to learn Russian language

Latvijas Avize features an interview with Ilze Brands Kehris, the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights. Ms. Brands Kehris criticizes the Latvian authorities for their evasive reaction to recommendations by international human rights experts. Ilze Brands Kehris believes that the Latvian officials would gain more trust if they openly acknowledged the existence of problematic issues in Latvia and explained why they would or would not address these issues. Ms. Brands Kehris argues that citizenship is an ethnic and political issue, and it is essential that foreign experts meet with people representing a variety of opinions. While acknowledging the good activities undertaken by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration she believes that its work should also be seriously evaluated.

Columnist of

Columnist of Latvijas Avize criticizes the call by the Employers Confederation of Latvia to young people to learn Russian language as it would help them find a job easier. The columnist believes that it is more important to know other foreign languages such as English, French or German as these languages are spoken in countries which respect Latvias freedom and dignity.

• Chas features an interview with the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens

Chas features an interview with the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens. The Minister has stated that it is planed to form a working group on monitoring of court and pre-trial practices concerning incitement to ethnic hatred. Mr. Kastens considers that presently expertise which determines whether statements made by a person were inciting to ethnic hatred faces problems due to the lack of common approach in legal acts concerning such issues. The Minister has stated that he has appealed to the General Prosecutor of Latvia Janis Maizitis asking to evaluate the decision of the Prosecutor of the Riga Regional Court to terminate criminal proceedings against a neo-Nazi Andris Jordans who has stated at public discussion that Jews and Roma people are ‘non-humans and it would be preferable to exterminate them. Oskars Kastens believes that such statements are inappropriate. Regarding elaboration of new national integration policy concept for 2008-2018, the Minister has stated that the main aim of the draft concept is formation of civil society in Latvia and engagement of all groups of society into decision making process.

• MP Karlis Sadurskis: cooperation with the Concord Centre and FHRUL is possible for attainment of apparent and beneficial goals
• MP Dainis Turlais: Russian Culture Days are a sign of improving relations

MP Karlis Sadurskis (New Age) considers that his party might cooperate with the Concord Centre and FHRUL (parties that draw significant support from the Russian-speaking voters) for attainment of “apparent and beneficial goals”, mentioning as examples non-confidence voting in the Parliament and bringing up issues for referendum. Mr.Sadurskis stated that his party is unlikely to entrust positions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Minister of Education into the hands of the Concord Centre because of very serious ideological differences on issues of education, language, non-citizens’ rights. Shall the Concord Centre be taken into a new governing coalition, it would have to explain to its voters why the Centre is taking part in a coalition dominated by different ideology.

MP Karlis Sadurskis (New Age) considers that his party might cooperate with the Concord Centre and FHRUL (parties that draw significant support from the Russian-speaking voters) for attainment of apparent and beneficial goals, mentioning as examples non-confidence voting in the Parliament and bringing up issues for referendum. Mr.Sadurskis stated that his party is unlikely to entrust positions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Minister of Education into the hands of the Concord Centre because of very serious ideological differences on issues of education, language, non-citizens rights. Shall the Concord Centre be taken into a new governing coalition, it would have to explain to its voters why the Centre is taking part in a coalition dominated by different ideology. Chas

Vesti Segodnya interviewed MP Dainis Turlais (Latvias First Party / Latvias Way). Mr.Turlais believes that culture stands above politics and helps to mend relations. The Russian Culture Days held in Latvia recently are a sign of improving relations between the two countries.

• Prosecutors Office of the Riga Regional Court has brought charges against 19-year-old woman for incitement to ethnic hatred
• MP Boris Cilevics: problems in forming the governing coalition in Latvia are caused by unwillingness to co-operate with parties representing Russian speakers in Latvia
• General Director of the Employers Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle: labour force might be imported to Latvia from distant Asian countries

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Riga Regional Court has brought charges against 19-year-old woman for incitement to ethnic hatred. In 2004, in a discussion on an internet forum called “Do the Slavs have to leave Latvia?”, the woman wrote that “the Slavic people must be deported from Latvia because they are cheap labour force”. The woman has admitted the guilt arguing that she made it because of light-mindedness.

The Prosecutors Office of the Riga Regional Court has brought charges against 19-year-old woman for incitement to ethnic hatred. In 2004, in a discussion on an internet forum called Do the Slavs have to leave Latvia?, the woman wrote that the Slavic people must be deported from Latvia because they are cheap labour force. The woman has admitted the guilt arguing that she made it because of light-mindedness. Vesti Segodnya

In an interview with

In an interview with Telegraf, the MP Boris Cilevics (The Concord Centre) has stated that problems in forming the governing coalition in Latvia are caused mainly by the prejudice that government should be formed only by ethnic Latvian parties and unwillingness to co-operate with parties who conditionally represent Russian speaking residents of Latvia.

The General Director of the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle has stated that despite possible simplification for import of foreign labour force to Latvia, there will be no fast influx of guest workers from so-called “third countries” because these countries also have a shortage of labour force. Therefore, according to Elina Egle, labour force might be imported from distant Asian countries. As reported, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has accepted the Migration Concept in the Context of Employment which stipulates simplification of administrative procedures and reduction of costs for attraction and usage of foreign labour force. The Concept also stipulates elaboration of forecasts about development of labour market in Latvia and criteria for attraction of labour force.

The General Director of the Employers Confederation of Latvia Elina Egle has stated that despite possible simplification for import of foreign labour force to Latvia, there will be no fast influx of guest workers from so-called third countries because these countries also have a shortage of labour force. Therefore, according to Elina Egle, labour force might be imported from distant Asian countries. As reported, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has accepted the Migration Concept in the Context of Employment which stipulates simplification of administrative procedures and reduction of costs for attraction and usage of foreign labour force. The Concept also stipulates elaboration of forecasts about development of labour market in Latvia and criteria for attraction of labour force. Telegraf

• Chas features an interview with Russian linguist, academician Tatjana Liguta on impact of Latvian language on Russian language in Latvia
• Tomorrow, the Cabinet of Minister will decide whether Muslim women will be allowed to be photographed with hijab for persons identification documents issued in Latvia

Chas features an interview with Russian linguist, academician Tatjana Liguta on impact of Latvian language on Russian language in Latvia. According to Mrs. Liguta position of Russian language in Latvia is stable, however, the stability depends on national language policy, preservation of education in Russian, and on desire of Russian speakers to preserve their identity, language and culture.

Vesti Segodnya reports that by the initiative of the Ombudsman of Latvia Romans Apsitis, tomorrow, the Cabinet of Minister will decide whether Muslim women will be allowed to be photographed with hijab for persons identification documents issued in Latvia. Romans Apsitis considers that the effective rules of the Cabinet of Ministers violate freedom of religion because according to them persons face on photo in documents must be without head-dress. However, the Minister of Interior Ivars Godmanis believes that this rule does not limit freedom of religion because persons identification document is not intended for identification of persons belonging to particular religious group but mainly for physical identification of a person.