• Newspapers report on celebration of the Day of Russia in Latvia

Newspapers report on social and cultural events held in Latvia on the “Day of Russia”, the 12th of June.

Newspapers report on social and cultural events held in Latvia on the Day of Russia, the 12th of June. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

• Newspapers report on draft amendments to several laws regulating the work of Ombudsman.
• Chas reports on petition calling European Parliament to recommend Latvian government to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections
• FHRUL is concerned about the plans to implement unified standards and state exams on Latvian language in minority and Latvian – language schools

Newspapers report on draft amendments to several laws regulating the work of Ombudsman. According to the draft amendments made to the Law on Ombudsman, in the future Ombudsman will be appointed for a term of five years (instead of present four) and the support of 2/3 MPs will be necessary for his dismissal. The draft amendments to the Law on State Secrets entitle the Ombudsman with the access to the state secrets, while amendments to the Administrative Code stipulate administrative liability for refusal to provide information requested by Ombudsman. A discussion about the necessity to establish the status of Ombudsman in the Constitution of Latvia, launched by the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga is still opened.

Newspapers report on draft amendments to several laws regulating the work of Ombudsman. According to the draft amendments made to the Law on Ombudsman, in the future Ombudsman will be appointed for a term of five years (instead of present four) and the support of 2/3 MPs will be necessary for his dismissal. The draft amendments to the Law on State Secrets entitle the Ombudsman with the access to the state secrets, while amendments to the Administrative Code stipulate administrative liability for refusal to provide information requested by Ombudsman. A discussion about the necessity to establish the status of Ombudsman in the Constitution of Latvia, launched by the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga is still opened.

Chas reports on petition calling European Parliament to recommend Latvian government to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. The petition is signed by 15,805 persons.

Vesti Segodnya prints a statement of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia concerning the plans of the Ministry of Education and Science to implement unified standards and state exams on Latvian language in minority and Latvian – language schools by school year 2010/2011. The authors of the statement regard this initiative as discriminative regarding the non-Latvian students.

• Celebration of the Day of Russia

Russian language newspapers report on celebration of the Day of Russia in Latvia.

Russian language newspapers report on celebration of the Day of Russia in Latvia. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

• Discussion on necessity to take real and workable measures to promote tolerance in society
• Senate of the Supreme Court refuses a claim on exclusion from the list of persons who are denied entrance in Latvia

Neatkariga Rita Avize prints an open letter of the Double Coffees Marketing Director Sergey Plotnikov calling the state institutions responsible for the implementation of society integration policy and the promotion of tolerance to take real and workable measures in this area. According to Plotnikov, these measures should mitigate mutually offensive rhetoric used by both sides and to ensure that private companies are not involved in tackling of these disagreements. Several weeks ago Double Coffee received the treats of boycott of its coffee-bars and therefore was forced to withdraw from its information boards postcards informing about the events of Friendship Days, organised by an alliance of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals „Mozaika. The newspaper features also a reply of the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens stressing the role of each citizen in promotion of tolerance in society and calling for concrete proposals regarding these issues.

Senate of the Supreme Court refused a claim of the citizen of Russia Albert Mirzahanyan requesting his exclusion from the list of persons who are denied entrance in Latvia. The man has a wife and two under age children living in Latvia.

Senate of the Supreme Court refused a claim of the citizen of Russia Albert Mirzahanyan requesting his exclusion from the list of persons who are denied entrance in Latvia. The man has a wife and two under age children living in Latvia. Latvijas Avize

• Tatyana Zdanoka: the EU must recognize Russian as one of traditional ethnic minority languages
• Saeima has refused the FHRULs proposal to provide professional education in the native language

At the conference of Russia’s compatriots held in Brussels, the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka has stated that the European Union must recognize Russian as one of traditional ethnic minority languages. Tatyana Zdanoka believed that Russian speaking residents have become traditional ethnic minorities after the accession of the Baltic States to the EU in 2004. According to Tatyana Zdanoka, about 6 million Russian-speakers reside in the EU.

At the conference of Russias compatriots held in Brussels, the MEP from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka has stated that the European Union must recognize Russian as one of traditional ethnic minority languages. Tatyana Zdanoka believed that Russian speaking residents have become traditional ethnic minorities after the accession of the Baltic States to the EU in 2004. According to Tatyana Zdanoka, about 6 million Russian-speakers reside in the EU. Chas

Yesterday, the Saeima refused the proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) stipulating the obligation of the Cabinet of Ministers to provide professional education in the native language.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused the proposal of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) stipulating the obligation of the Cabinet of Ministers to provide professional education in the native language. Vesti Segodnya