• Border Guard Service has detained first illegal immigrants in the Rigas Airport shortly after mandatory passport control was cancelled for the flights to the Schengen countries
• Ministry of Justice has prepared a draft project stipulating easing the procedure for changing name, surname and ethnicity
• Cabinet of Ministers is planning to review the draft amendments to the Administrative Violations Code which stipulate incense of liability for violations of the State Language Law
• Tatjana Zdanoka: interests of Russian speakers will remain the priority of the FHRUL

Yesterday, shortly after the mandatory passport control was cancelled for flights to the Schengen countries, the Border Guard Service has detained first illegal immigrants in the Riga’s Airport – two citizens of Philippines have arrived to Riga from Germany.  The Chief of the State Border Guard Gunars Dabolins has stated that the fact that Latvia has joined the Schengen Agreement and removed the border controls has increased a risk that there will be an increased influx of illegal emigrants to Latvia. According to Mr. Dabolins, the number of people migrating to Latvia illegally is not very big at the moment.

Yesterday, shortly after the mandatory passport control was cancelled for flights to the Schengen countries, the Border Guard Service has detained first illegal immigrants in the Rigas Airport – two citizens of Philippines have arrived to Riga from Germany. The Chief of the State Border Guard Gunars Dabolins has stated that the fact that Latvia has joined the Schengen Agreement and removed the border controls has increased a risk that there will be an increased influx of illegal emigrants to Latvia. According to Mr. Dabolins, the number of people migrating to Latvia illegally is not very big at the moment. Chas, Telegraf

The Ministry of Justice has prepared a draft project which stipulates easing the procedure for changing name, surname and ethnicity. According to the draft law, a person who wants to change ethnicity to Latvian will have to show only birth certificate or passports of closest relatives who are ethnic Latvians. Presently, in order to become ethnic Latvian one has to present documents supporting the claim that he/she is a descendant of ethnic Latvians and also has to prove his/her Latvian language proficiency skills at highest category or present graduation diploma from Latvian language school.

The Ministry of Justice has prepared a draft project which stipulates easing the procedure for changing name, surname and ethnicity. According to the draft law, a person who wants to change ethnicity to Latvian will have to show only birth certificate or passports of closest relatives who are ethnic Latvians. Presently, in order to become ethnic Latvian one has to present documents supporting the claim that he/she is a descendant of ethnic Latvians and also has to prove his/her Latvian language proficiency skills at highest category or present graduation diploma from Latvian language school. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, NRA

Latvijas Avize reports that tomorrow, the Cabinet of Ministers is planning to review the draft amendments to the Administrative Violations Code which stipulate incense of liability for violations of the State Language Law. According to the draft amendments, text on seals and blanks of organisations and enterprises should be printed only in Latvian language. Also the draft amendments stipulate fines for provision of information in foreign languages on titles, signboards and in reports if the law stipulates that this information should be provided in state language. The newspaper also reports that inspectors of the State Language Centre complain about aggressive and disrespectful attitude towards them in inspected enterprises.

At a session of the council of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL), the Co-chairman of the party Tatjana Zdanoka has stated that issues concerning interests of Russian speakers will remain the priority of the party’s activities.

At a session of the council of the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL), the Co-chairman of the party Tatjana Zdanoka has stated that issues concerning interests of Russian speakers will remain the priority of the partys activities. Chas, Latvijas Avize

• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with a representative of the branch of Naturalisation Board in Daugavpils about naturalisation process in Latvia and in Latgale

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with a representative of the branch of Naturalisation Board in Daugavpils Ilmars Rutkovskis about naturalisation process in Latvia and in Latgale (Latvian Eastern region). Mr. Rutkovskis has stated that although naturalisation rate has noticeably decreased over the recent years, it is stabile at the moment. The majority of candidates for citizenship in Daugavpils are Russians and young people under 30.

• Several nationalist NGOs have appealed to the Saeima asking to include the 16 March into the list of official holidays
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a draft Law on Higher Education Establishments which de-facto stipulates a ban on teaching in Russian language in state and private higher education establishments

Several nationalist NGOs have appealed to the Saeima asking to include the 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires – into the list of official holidays. The NGOs claim that the Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires were fighting not against anti-Hitlerite coalition but against the Soviet Union.

Several nationalist NGOs have appealed to the Saeima asking to include the 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires – into the list of official holidays. The NGOs claim that the Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires were fighting not against anti-Hitlerite coalition but against the Soviet Union. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports about a draft Law on Higher Education Establishments elaborated by the Ministry of Education which stipulates that state and private higher education establishments forbidden from teaching in foreign languages except the official EU languages. Thus, in fact, this draft law will forbid teaching in Russian language. The exception could be made only for foreign students from non-EU countries.

• Estonian, Greek and German right-wing radicals took part in the meeting organised by a NSS on 16 March in Riga
• Latvijas Avize reports about an entrepreneur who has arranged an apartment house in order to rent it to guest workers
• NGO AfroLat is going to appeal to the Consumers Rights Protection Centre about racially discriminating advertisement
• Leader of the Latvian Youth Party Janis Kuzins: activities of youth national-radical organisations in Latvia are rooted in the new interpretation of Latvian history

Vesti Segodnya reports that Estonian, Greek and German right-wing radicals took part in a meeting organised by the right-wing radical organisation The National Power Union (NSS in its Latvian acronym) on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) in Riga. Secretary General of the German National Democratic Party (NPD) and others activists of the NPD participated in the meeting. The radicals have discussed co-operation between European nationalists, while the NSS has informed about its plans to re-organise itself and to consolidate national radicals.

Latvijas Avize reports about an entrepreneur who has arranged an apartment house in order to rent it to guest workers employed in Latvia. The entrepreneur has signed an agreement with a domestic building company about accommodation of its guest workers. Presently about 10 Romanians reside in the apartments. According to the entrepreneur, guest workers improved his business substantially.

The Afro-Latvian organisation (AfroLat) is going to appeal to the Consumers Rights Protection Centre about an advertisement of the company selling computers which pictures two laptops – black against white background and white against black background and has a slogan “While the whites are resting, the blacks are working” The AfroLat as well as the Ombudsman’s Office consider that such advertisement is racially discriminating. The company which placed the advertisement already has withdrawn it from mass media and representatives of the company deny the accusations.

The Afro-Latvian organisation (AfroLat) is going to appeal to the Consumers Rights Protection Centre about an advertisement of the company selling computers which pictures two laptops – black against white background and white against black background and has a slogan While the whites are resting, the blacks are working The AfroLat as well as the Ombudsmans Office consider that such advertisement is racially discriminating. The company which placed the advertisement already has withdrawn it from mass media and representatives of the company deny the accusations. Diena

In an interview with

In an interview with Vesti Segodnya, leader of the Latvian Youth Party, member of Jurmala City Council Janis Kuzins has stated that activities of youth national-radical organisations in Latvia are rooted in the new interpretation of Latvian history according to which Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires are national heroes and fighters for independence. Mr. Kuzins believes that activities of national-radicals must be watched closely and prevented.

• Telegraf prints an article about a possibility that Russia might soon cancel visa requirements for Latvian non-citizens
• Leader of the nationalist radical organisation the National Front Aivars Garda asks to outlaw activities of so-called anti-fascists in Latvia
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: the Truth about the Fake

The MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka in an interview with

The MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka in an interview with Telegraf, commenting an information that Russia might soon cancel visa requirements for Latvian non-citizens, has stated that such procedure is very complicated and because this proposal comes from oppositional party most likely it will not be supported by the majority of Russias State Duma. In the meantime, representative of Russias Embassy to Latvia has stated that decisions concerning crossing the border between Russia and Latvia should be reviewed in the light of relations between Russia and the EU.

Leader of the nationalist radical organisation the National Front Aivars Garda has sent an appeal to the Saeima’s Speaker and all MPs asking to outlaw activities of so-called anti-fascists in Latvia. Aivars Garda argues that anti-fascists have rudely disturbed procession in honour of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires on 16 March and their activities in general are anti-Latvian.

Leader of the nationalist radical organisation the National Front Aivars Garda has sent an appeal to the Saeimas Speaker and all MPs asking to outlaw activities of so-called anti-fascists in Latvia. Aivars Garda argues that anti-fascists have rudely disturbed procession in honour of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires on 16 March and their activities in general are anti-Latvian. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports about a book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: the Truth about the Fake recently issued upon private initiative. The book disproves anti-Semitic ideas.