• OSCEs High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus held meetings with various state officials
• Supreme Court Senate published a full text of the decision on Jurijs Petropavlovskis case
• Two applicants for citizenship caught cheating in naturalisation exams
• LiepajaCity Council is planning to close a Russian-language secondary school

Yesterday, the OSCEs (Organisation for Security and Co-operation) High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus met with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Karina Petersone, as well as other state officials. During the meeting with MP Boriss Cilevics (The Concord Centre) and the head of the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools Igors Pimenovs, Rolf Ekeus discussed issues concerning naturalisation and the minority education reform. While during the meeting with Karina Petersone, the High Commissioner talked about effective participation of ethnic minorities in Latvias political life.Rolf Ekeus noted that the progress is observable regarding developments in social integration field; however the huge number of non-citizens has to be actively reduced. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena, Latvijas Vestnesis

Yesterday, the Supreme Court Senate published a full text of its decision in the Jurijs Petropavlovskis case. As reported, the Senate rejected the application of the activist of the Headquarters Jurijs Petropavlovskis where he asked to review decisions taken by first instance courts to stop court proceedings regarding his first complaint challenging the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers not to grant him Latvian citizenship. The Senate considers that the complaint is unreasonable, because the Cabinet of Ministers has unlimited freedom in taking decision regarding granting citizenship. Chas

The Naturalisation Board reports that two applicants for citizenship were caught cheating in naturalisation exams last week. The results of the exams were cancelled and the applicants were denied further procession of their naturalisation applications. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an article about the plans of the Liepaja City Council to close a Russian-language secondary school in Liepaja (city in the western part of Latvia). As reported, there has been the announcement by the Riga City Council that some Russian primary schools in Riga might be closed soon because of the decreasing number of students. Vesti Segodnya

• Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration will continue to foster ethnic integration and development of civil society
• Vladimirs Buzajevs: the speed of naturalisation has slowdown
• Minister of Education Baiba Rivza: it is too early to speak about the results of the minority education reform
• Minister of Education agrees with some complaints of LASHOR

Yesterday, the new Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Karina Petersone stated that the Integration Secretariat will continue to foster ethnic integration and development of civil society. The Minister announced that the Integration Secretariat will form a group of experts which will include representatives of ethnic minorities. Karina Petersone also stated that the huge number of non-citizens in Latvia is inappropriate, however, naturalisation should not be speeded up: “it is important that a person wants to become naturalized and is ready for that.”

Yesterday, the new Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Karina Petersone stated that the Integration Secretariat will continue to foster ethnic integration and development of civil society. The Minister announced that the Integration Secretariat will form a group of experts which will include representatives of ethnic minorities. Karina Petersone also stated that the huge number of non-citizens in Latvia is inappropriate, however, naturalisation should not be speeded up: it is important that a person wants to become naturalized and is ready for that. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

According to the MP Vladimirs Buzajevs (FHRUL) the speed of naturalisation during first three months in 2006 comparing to the respective period in 2004, 2005 and 1999 has slowdown. However, the number of persons who are not able to pass the naturalisation exams the first time has increased. He believes that this number will continue growing connecting the number with the number of non-citizens who have university degree which is also decreasing. Buzajevs notes that the number of citizens among Latvians in 1999 was 77.5% and in January 2006 - 73.5 %: “this means that naturalisation barely keeps pace in decrease of Russian electors.”

According to the MP Vladimirs Buzajevs (FHRUL) the speed of naturalisation during first three months in 2006 comparing to the respective period in 2004, 2005 and 1999 has slowdown. However, the number of persons who are not able to pass the naturalisation exams the first time has increased. He believes that this number will continue growing connecting the number with the number of non-citizens who have university degree which is also decreasing. Buzajevs notes that the number of citizens among Latvians in 1999 was 77.5% and in January 2006 - 73.5 %: this means that naturalisation barely keeps pace in decrease of Russian electors. Chas

The new Minister of Education Baiba Rivza in an interview with the private TV channel

The new Minister of Education Baiba Rivza in an interview with the private TV channel LNT stated that it is too early to speak about the results of the education reform at minority schools: The process started only a year ago and the actual results of the reform will be seen only when students who study in 10th grade today graduate. According to Baiba Rivza, the minority education reform is necessary to prepare students for enrolment and studies at universities. Telegraf

The Minister of Education Baiba Rivza in an interview with

The Minister of Education Baiba Rivza in an interview with Telegraf admitted that some complaints indicated in the memorandum issued by the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) are grounded. Baiba Rivza promised to foster a dialogue with NGOs and to continue discussions with experts on minority education. As reported, the LASHOR issued the memorandum stating that the government has stopped the dialogue with NGOs on minority education issues.

• Chas features an interview with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia
• FHRULs Education and Culture Council held conference on the results of the implementation of the minority education reform
• LASHOR: government has stopped the dialogue with NGOs on issues concerning minority education
• National minority school cheated with a number of enrolled students to receive state funding

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Victor Kalyuzhniy in an interview with

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Victor Kalyuzhniy in an interview with Chas stated that intergovernmental relations between the two countries are affected by expressions of Russophobia: Latvia blames Russians and Russia for all its tragedies… and it leads to division of society along ethnic lines. It is inadmissible to call Russians occupants… because not only Latvians, but also Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, who decided to stay in Latvia after its liberation from Fascists and to help to restore this country, lived in this country for over than 50 years. Latvia has become their homeland and for those who were born here it is a motherland. Victor Kalyuzhniy reproached the Ministry of Justice for its decision to register the national radical party All for Latvia! Chas

On Monday, teachers from numerous Russian-language schools took part in a conference held by the FHRUL’s Education and Culture Council. The main focus of the conference was process and results of the minority education reform. The MP Jakovs Pliners (FHRUL) stated that the implementation of the minority education reform has resulted in deterioration of knowledge of subjects taught bilingually or in Latvian. He also argued that the level of distrust towards the state has grown among young people of Russian origin which has strengthened the tendency to leave the country. He concluded that the implementation of the minority education reform poses threat of marginalisation. Another participant argued, “The only positive aspect of the reform is improvement of Latvian language proficiency… However, academic achievement level in other subjects is falling.”

On Monday, teachers from numerous Russian-language schools took part in a conference held by the FHRULs Education and Culture Council. The main focus of the conference was process and results of the minority education reform. The MP Jakovs Pliners (FHRUL) stated that the implementation of the minority education reform has resulted in deterioration of knowledge of subjects taught bilingually or in Latvian. He also argued that the level of distrust towards the state has grown among young people of Russian origin which has strengthened the tendency to leave the country. He concluded that the implementation of the minority education reform poses threat of marginalisation. Another participant argued, The only positive aspect of the reform is improvement of Latvian language proficiency… However, academic achievement level in other subjects is falling. Chas

The Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LASHOR in it Russian acronym) issued a memorandum stating that the government has stopped the dialogue with NGOs on minority education issues.

The Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LASHOR in it Russian acronym) issued a memorandum stating that the government has stopped the dialogue with NGOs on minority education issues. Vesti Segodnya

A representative of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports Affairs of the Riga City Council stated that the department discovered that a principle of a national minority school in Riga provided a higher number of pupils enrolled in the first grade in order to receive special state funding for salaries of teachers who teach first graders. The Department does not reveal the name of the school till it takes the decision on penalty. It is known that it is a school which provides studies in Russian and has experienced difficulties to collect the required number of first graders for a long time.

A representative of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports Affairs of the Riga City Council stated that the department discovered that a principle of a national minority school in Riga provided a higher number of pupils enrolled in the first grade in order to receive special state funding for salaries of teachers who teach first graders. The Department does not reveal the name of the school till it takes the decision on penalty. It is known that it is a school which provides studies in Russian and has experienced difficulties to collect the required number of first graders for a long time. Telegraf, Diena

• Advocates of the three young men sentenced for instigation to racial hatred will not appeal the courts ruling
• Riga City Council is planning to close some primary schools providing education in Russian in Riga
• OSCEs High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus will visit Latvia

Lawyers of the three young men sentenced for instigation of racial hatred will not appeal the ruling issued by the Riga Regional Court. As reported, the court sentenced the three young men to six and twelve months suspended imprisonment for a racially motivated physical assault on a dark-skinned citizen of the United States in July 2005.

Lawyers of the three young men sentenced for instigation of racial hatred will not appeal the ruling issued by the Riga Regional Court. As reported, the court sentenced the three young men to six and twelve months suspended imprisonment for a racially motivated physical assault on a dark-skinned citizen of the United States in July 2005. NRA

The representative of the Riga City Council Guntis Helmanis announced that some Russian primary schools in Riga might be closed soon because of the decreasing number of students. Gunits Helmanis also argued that there is a tendency when students from Russian-language schools start attending Latvian-language schools. 

The representative of the Riga City Council Guntis Helmanis announced that some Russian primary schools in Riga might be closed soon because of the decreasing number of students. Gunits Helmanis also argued that there is a tendency when students from Russian-language schools start attending Latvian-language schools. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The OSCE’s (Organisation for Security and Co-operation) High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus will be visiting Latvia from 19 to 21 April. Rolf Ekeus is planning to hold several meetings with state officials and discuss the rights of national minorities in Latvia.

The OSCEs (Organisation for Security and Co-operation) High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus will be visiting Latvia from 19 to 21 April. Rolf Ekeus is planning to hold several meetings with state officials and discuss the rights of national minorities in Latvia. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

• Chas features an article about the life of Russians in Latvia in nineteenth and twentieth century

Chas features an article about life of Russians in Latvia in XIX and in the beginning of XX century. The columnist writes about possibilities to receive education in Russian, organizations and Russian communities in Latvia.