• Political scientist Juris Rozenvalds: Latvian society is ready to accept ideas which would unite ethnic Latvians and ethnic Russians

Political scientist Juris Rozenvalds in an interview with

Political scientist Juris Rozenvalds in an interview with Telegraf states that Latvian society is ready to accept ideas which would unite ethnic Latvian and ethnic Russian residents. Mr. Rozenvads believes that success of the Concord Centre at last municipal elections indicates that Russian speaking electorate loses interest for radical politicians. Ethnic Latvian electorate, in its turn, understands that social-economic hardships draw closer all residents.

• Newspapers report that the Law on Protection of Animals which allows slaughter of animals in a way of ritual cut or Halal method might be amended again

Newspapers report that 13 MPs want to cancel the adopted draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allowed slaughter of animals in a way of ritual cut or Halal method.  In the meantime, some other MPs consider that norms on ritual slaughter of animals should be simplified. Presently, there is only one enterprise in Latvia which practices Halal method.

Newspapers report that 13 MPs want to cancel the adopted draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allowed slaughter of animals in a way of ritual cut or Halal method. In the meantime, some other MPs consider that norms on ritual slaughter of animals should be simplified. Presently, there is only one enterprise in Latvia which practices Halal method. Diena, Neatkariga

• Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins: something is wrong with Latvian integration policy
• General Prosecutors Office initiated a criminal process in a case of publication of the list of occupants
• Two members of the Liepaja City Council were deprived of the right to speak using interpreters
• Vesti Segodnya reports on discussion about non-citizens
• Saeima refused proposal to include ethnic minorities into the list of unemployment risk groups

According to the Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins (People’s party), something was wrong with integration policy in Latvia during the last 20 years. Mr. Seglins believes that ethnic Latvians dislike Russian speaking residents because Latvia is almost the only state were they can preserve their own identity. Mr.Seglins also believes that representatives of other ethnicities, first of all Russians, feel themselves free and comfortable in any country, while ethnic Latvians are afraid of anything that comes from others and first of all from Russians. Mr. Seglins alleges that many Russian speaking residents who were born in this country do not feel that Latvia is their motherland and he attributes this to mistakes in policy towards people of other ethnicities.

According to the Minister of Justice Mareks Seglins (Peoples party), something was wrong with integration policy in Latvia during the last 20 years. Mr. Seglins believes that ethnic Latvians dislike Russian speaking residents because Latvia is almost the only state were they can preserve their own identity. Mr.Seglins also believes that representatives of other ethnicities, first of all Russians, feel themselves free and comfortable in any country, while ethnic Latvians are afraid of anything that comes from others and first of all from Russians. Mr. Seglins alleges that many Russian speaking residents who were born in this country do not feel that Latvia is their motherland and he attributes this to mistakes in policy towards people of other ethnicities. Chas, Telegraf

The General Prosecutor’s Office initiated a criminal process in a case of publication of the list of “occupants”. The case will be investigated by the Security Police. As reported, a nationalistic Latvian Internet site published the list with personal data of owners of cars decorated with Russion symbols.

The General Prosecutors Office initiated a criminal process in a case of publication of the list of occupants. The case will be investigated by the Security Police. As reported, a nationalistic Latvian Internet site published the list with personal data of owners of cars decorated with Russion symbols. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Members of the Liepaja City Council Valerijs Kravcovs and Stins Lorencs left the Council’s session as a protest after they were deprived of the right to speak using interpreters during the session. Both deputies use interpreters during the sessions due to insufficient Latvian language proficiency.

Members of the Liepaja City Council Valerijs Kravcovs and Stins Lorencs left the Councils session as a protest after they were deprived of the right to speak using interpreters during the session. Both deputies use interpreters during the sessions due to insufficient Latvian language proficiency. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports on discussion of youth organisations of political parties the Concord Centre, the Civic Union, the New Era, the Peoples party and independent experts about non-citizens. According to the newspaper, representatives of so-called ethnic Latvian parties acknowledged that it is not profitable for Latvian governing politicians to grant voting rights to non-citizens because it would strengthen positions of so-called pro-Russian parties.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused draft amendments to the Law on support to unemployed persons stipulating inclusion of ethnic minorities into the list of unemployment risk groups, proposed by the members of the For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL). Also, the Saeima refused the FHRUL’s proposal to allow conducting re-training courses in Russian language.

Yesterday, the Saeima refused draft amendments to the Law on support to unemployed persons stipulating inclusion of ethnic minorities into the list of unemployment risk groups, proposed by the members of the For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL). Also, the Saeima refused the FHRULs proposal to allow conducting re-training courses in Russian language. Vesti Segodnya

• Telegraf most likely identified a person who published the list of occupants

Telegraf reports that it conducted independent investigation and most likely identified a person who published on the Internet personal data of owners of cars decorated with Russian symbols. According to the newspaper, the publisher is 66-year-old ethnic Latvian man who lives in the United States of America in Iowa and maintains an internet site featuring songs of Latvian Waffen SS legion and information about Latvian national partisans.

• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the head of the Russian Community in Liepaja Valerijs Kravcovs
• Riga City Council received two applications for holding events on 16 March

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the head of the Russian Community in Liepaja, deputy of the Liepaja City Council Valerijs Kravcovs. According to Mr. Kravcovs, all Russian NGOs should unite in one in order to gain more influence and authority in Latvia. Mr. Kravcovs believes that nationalistic political actions against Russian residents or Russian language, such as minority school reform 2004, strengthen and unite Russian community in Latvia.

The Riga City Council received two applications for holding events on 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. One application was submitted by an organisation “Hawks of Daugava in Latvia” which plan to hold a commemorative public liturgy and procession in the centre of Riga. Another application was submitted by a private person, - an activist Jurijs Kotovs, who wants to protest against anti-national policy and actions of governing coalition in economic sphere. The City Council recommended the latter applicant to postpone his protest action because the “Hawks of Daugava in Latvia” submitted their application first.

The Riga City Council received two applications for holding events on 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. One application was submitted by an organisation Hawks of Daugava in Latvia which plan to hold a commemorative public liturgy and procession in the centre of Riga. Another application was submitted by a private person, - an activist Jurijs Kotovs, who wants to protest against anti-national policy and actions of governing coalition in economic sphere. The City Council recommended the latter applicant to postpone his protest action because the Hawks of Daugava in Latvia submitted their application first.