Diena prints an article on religious diversity and tolerance

Diena prints an article by a PhD student in media education of the Catholic University of Lublin (Poland) Ingrida Puce on religious diversity and tolerance. Ingrida Puce considers that prejudices and luck of knowledge in society are the reasons for intolerance. Ms. Puce believes that effective way for promotion of social concord is to get acquainted personally with persons of various religions and to respect them despite personal religious convictions. Ms. Puce also believes that religious differences should not become a ground for harassment.

• Cabinet of Ministers will review a draft Concept of Migration Policy in the Context of Employment
• Chas prints an interview with the Vice-Chairman of the Education Committee of the Riga City Council Viktors Gluhovs on re-organisation of minority schools in Riga
• Latvijas Avize features an interview with a chairman of a conference Role of Latvian Mass Media in Establishment of Democratic Society, academician Juris Dreifelds

Today, the Cabinet of Ministers will review a draft “Concept of Migration Policy in the Context of Employment” prepared by the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry proposes three variants for further development of migration policy: to keep present migration policy without substantial changes; to simplify procedure on granting residency permit for foreign workers; or essentially decrease limits for influx of guest workers into those industries with luck of labour force.

Today, the Cabinet of Ministers will review a draft Concept of Migration Policy in the Context of Employment prepared by the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry proposes three variants for further development of migration policy: to keep present migration policy without substantial changes; to simplify procedure on granting residency permit for foreign workers; or essentially decrease limits for influx of guest workers into those industries with luck of labour force. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas prints an interview with the Vice Chairman of the Education Committee of the Riga City Council Viktors Gluhovs (the Concord Centre) on re-organisation of minority schools in Riga. Mr. Gluhovs criticizes national policy concerning re-organisation of school system and believes that it has to be revised. Viktors Gluhovs considers that liquidation of Russian language secondary school Nr.17 (the school was merged with other Russian language school and its premises were given to a Latvian language school) is a result of biased policy concerning minority schools which located in the centre of Riga.

Latvijas Avize features an interview with a chairman of a conference Role of Latvian Mass Media in Establishment of Democratic Society organised by the World Federation of Free Latvians in Riga, academician Juris Dreifelds. Mr. Dreifelds considers that Latvian language proficiency of Russian speakers in Latvia has improved after the reform of minority schools, however, their desire to speak Latvian has decreased. Juris Dreifelds believes: Latvia de facto is two-community state. Despite the fact that 70% of students study in Latvian language schools, Latvians are on defensive positions because ethnic Latvians compose only 59% of all residents.

• Around 150 persons have taken part in a meeting Russian Standing
• Discussion on the role of Russian language mass media in Latvia Parallel Information Spaces in Latvia – Latvian and Russian Language or Two Worlds in One Country
• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with a psychotherapist on the reasons why Russian speaking children turn to public helpline much rarer than Latvian speaking children

On 8 September, around 150 persons have taken part in a meeting “Russian Standing” in the centre of Riga. As reported, organisers initially planned to hold “Russian March”, however the march was forbidden by the Riga City Council due to the security reasons. The main slogans of the meeting were aimed at granting official status to Russian language and granting citizenship for all non-citizens. Columnist of

On 8 September, around 150 persons have taken part in a meeting Russian Standing in the centre of Riga. As reported, organisers initially planned to hold Russian March, however the march was forbidden by the Riga City Council due to the security reasons. The main slogans of the meeting were aimed at granting official status to Russian language and granting citizenship for all non-citizens. Columnist of Chas argued that low attendance of the meeting shows that Russian nationalism is not popular in society. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Diena, Latvijas Avize, NRA

On 8 September, a discussion on the role of Russian language mass media in Latvia “Parallel Information Spaces in Latvia – Latvian and Russian Language or Two Worlds in One Country” was held in the framework of a conference “Role of Latvian Mass Media in Establishment of Democratic Society” in Riga. Researcher of the Centre for Public Policy “Providus” Marija Golubeva has reported on first results of a research on intolerant statements in mass media towards non-Latvians, non-citizens, sexual minorities, NGOs, Roma people, new immigrants or other ethnic minority groups. According to the results, newspaper

On 8 September, a discussion on the role of Russian language mass media in Latvia Parallel Information Spaces in Latvia – Latvian and Russian Language or Two Worlds in One Country was held in the framework of a conference Role of Latvian Mass Media in Establishment of Democratic Society in Riga. Researcher of the Centre for Public Policy Providus Marija Golubeva has reported on first results of a research on intolerant statements in mass media towards non-Latvians, non-citizens, sexual minorities, NGOs, Roma people, new immigrants or other ethnic minority groups. According to the results, newspaper Vesti Segodnya most often tries to create an impression that situation of non-citizens and non-Latvians in Latvia is critical by quoting negative statements made by radical Latvian politicians towards these groups of residents. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

According to

According to Vesti Segodnya, 93% of children who turn for psychiatric help using public children helpline are Latvian speakers, while only 3% are Russian speakers. The newspaper prints an interview with a psychotherapist Tatjana Egorova on possible reasons for such difference. Ms. Jegorova considers that Russian speaking children might have troubles of misunderstanding talking to a specialist whose native language is other than their due to the different kind perception formed by linguistic specificity. The psychotherapist considers that in overall Russians turn for psychiatric help rarer than Latvians because their mentality is more open and this helps to solve problems by talking to friends or family members.

• Riga City Council issued permission to hold a meeting Russian Standing in Riga on 8 September

On Friday the Executive Director of the Riga City Council Andris Grinbergs has issued permission to hold a meeting “Russian Standing” in Riga on 8 September. As reported, earlier the City Council has put a ban on holding a procession “Russian March” planned by radical political organisations.

On Friday the Executive Director of the Riga City Council Andris Grinbergs has issued permission to hold a meeting Russian Standing in Riga on 8 September. As reported, earlier the City Council has put a ban on holding a procession Russian March planned by radical political organisations. Vesti Segodnya, Diena

• Riga Regional Court rejected an appeal to abolish the ban on Russian March on 8 September in Riga
• Saeima has refused the draft amendments to the State Language Law proposed by the political party FHRUL
• Chas features an interview with the head of Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs on application of the Article 78 of the Criminal Code in Latvian court practice
• Kulturas Diena prints an article by ex-Minister of Integration Nils Muiznieks on integration process in Latvia

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court rejected an appeal of the Latvian National Democratic Party (LNDP) and the NGO “Motherland” to abolish the decision of the Riga City Council to ban “Russian March” on 8 September in Riga. However, the leader of the LNDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has stated that the organisers are going to submit new application on Friday to the City Council to hold a meeting with the same slogans at the same day and at the same place.

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court rejected an appeal of the Latvian National Democratic Party (LNDP) and the NGO Motherland to abolish the decision of the Riga City Council to ban Russian March on 8 September in Riga. However, the leader of the LNDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has stated that the organisers are going to submit new application on Friday to the City Council to hold a meeting with the same slogans at the same day and at the same place. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA

Yesterday, the Saeima has refused the draft amendments to the State Language Law proposed by the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) which stipulated granting official status to ethnic minorities’ languages in territories inhabited by ethnic minorities in substantial numbers.

Yesterday, the Saeima has refused the draft amendments to the State Language Law proposed by the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) which stipulated granting official status to ethnic minorities languages in territories inhabited by ethnic minorities in substantial numbers. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Chas features an interview with the head of Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs who has presented a report on application of the Article 78 of the Criminal Code (which stipulates punishment for incitement to national, ethnic or racial hatred) in Latvian court practice in the context of implementation of the UN Convention on elimination of all kinds of racial discrimination. Arturs Kucs has stated that rulings in several criminal cases show that Latvian judges and prosecutors do not understand how to use the Convention due to the luck of training. Commenting on a decision of the Prosecutor of the Riga Regional Court Ieva Garanca to terminate criminal proceedings in the case of Andris Jordans (who has stated at a public discussion that it would be preferable to exterminate Jews and Roma people as ‘non-humans), Mr.Kucs pointed that the Prosecutor only referred to a principle of freedom of speech set in the European Convention on Human Rights and did not take into account that the Convention does not relate to the statement which openly incite to racial hatred an intolerance. Arturs Kucs also believes that position of Jewish and Roma communities is very important in such cases.

Kulturas Diena prints an article by political scientist, ex-Minister of Integration Nils Muiznieks on integration process in Latvia. Nils Muiznieks believes that integration tasks in Latvian as well as in Europe will remain topical for long time period. According to Mr.Muiznieks, there are four important integration tasks for Latvia to be accomplished. First, to prepare timely for new immigration which will complicate the integration tasks even more. Second, to collect ethnic data to ensure equal opportunities for all people and actively combat discrimination by holding educative events and by strict application of law. Third, to promote democratic values and ensure various ways of involvement. Fourth, to evaluate and correct integration policy systematically according to international practice.