• Newspapers discuss the commemoration events of Latvian legionnaires to take place today
• Ruling coalition in Riga City Council will be formed of only right-wing political parties
• Co-owner of the radio station PIK: the decision of the National Radio and TV Council about suspension of broadcast of the radio station PIK was politically motivated
• Interview with the editor-in-chief of the Russian-language newspaper Kommersant Baltic Jurijs Aleksejevs

Newspapers write about various activities to commemorate Latvian legionnaires, taking place today. Yesterday the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga called broader public to commemorate the memory of all Latvian soldiers killed in wars in one day - 11 November, the Lacplesa Day. The Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis stressed that none of the members of the Cabinet of Ministers will participate in these events. The Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons announced that the state security institutions are ready to respond to any possible provocations.

Newspapers write about various activities to commemorate Latvian legionnaires, taking place today. Yesterday the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga called broader public to commemorate the memory of all Latvian soldiers killed in wars in one day - 11 November, the Lacplesa Day. The Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis stressed that none of the members of the Cabinet of Ministers will participate in these events. The Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons announced that the state security institutions are ready to respond to any possible provocations. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday four right-wing parties – the New Era, the People’s Party, the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and the Latvia’s First Party  – came to an agreement to form a ruling coalition in Riga City Council. The parties also agreed not to invite either centrist or left-wing political parties. Hence the ruling coalition will have 31 out of 60 mandates.

Yesterday four right-wing parties – the New Era, the Peoples Party, the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and the Latvias First Party – came to an agreement to form a ruling coalition in Riga City Council. The parties also agreed not to invite either centrist or left-wing political parties. Hence the ruling coalition will have 31 out of 60 mandates. Vesti Segodnya prints an article by Nikolajs Kabanovs, who believes that the result of the municipal elections is indicative of the ethnic cleavage in society. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Russian-language newspapers feature the statements of the leader of the United Social Democratic Welfare Party and co-owner of the Russian-language radio station

Russian-language newspapers feature the statements of the leader of the United Social Democratic Welfare Party and co-owner of the Russian-language radio station PIK Jurijs Zuravlovs about the decision of the National Radio and TV Council to suspend broadcast of the radio station. Jurijs Zuravlovs believes that the decision of the Council was politically motivated. As reported, the Council decided that the radio station broadcasted hidden political advertisement of the union Dzimtene before municipal elections therefore suspended its broadcast for three days. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the editor-in-chief of the Russian-language newspaper Kommersant Baltic Jurijs Aleksejevs, who was also just elected to Riga City Council from the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. According to Jurijs Aleksejevs, the implementation of the minority education reform motivated him to stand for municipal elections in Riga. The journalist believes that the deputy mandate provides additional possibilities to protect the interests of minorities.

• Latvian daily Diena discusses results of the municipal elections in Riga
• National Broadcasting Council of Latvia suspends broadcast of the Russian-language radio station PIK for three days
• Neatkariga Rita Avize features a commentary by Sandris Tocs about the success of left-wing political parties in the municipal elections
• Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry issues a statement regarding the prohibitions for non-citizens to participate in municipal elections in Latvia
• Ambassador of Great Britain to Latvia Andrew Tesoriere talks about societal integration in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize reports on the growing number of Latvian citizens who renounce Latvian citizenship
• Neatkariga Rita Avize features an article about non-citizen Belorussian Sofija Bizna
• Russian national union Rodina announces the picket for the support for anti-fascism as a protest against the procession in commemoration of Latvian legionnaires

The Latvian daily

The Latvian daily Diena discusses the results of the municipal elections in Riga. The daily analyses results from different polling stations in Riga. According to the newspaper, residents of Riga did vote in accordance with ethnic principles, as it was forecasted by a number of experts. The daily argues that the biggest number of votes for so-called Russian parties was collected in Rigas suburb districts, where the majority of residents are Russian-speakers. While so-called Latvian parties were more popular in the centre of Riga and in the districts of individual houses, which, according to Diena, are traditionally inhabited by Latvians. The political analyst Reinis Aboltins believes that results of the municipal elections confirm that peoples choice was determined by ethnic principles as well as their social status. He argues that people who live in the centre of Riga and districts of individual houses have better material situation and more frequently support liberal and conservative parties, while people living in blockhouses vote for centrist and left-wing political parties. Diena

The National Radio and TV Council suspended broadcast of the Russian-language radio station

The National Radio and TV Council suspended broadcast of the Russian-language radio station PIK for three days. According to the Council, the radio station broadcasted hidden political advertisement of the union Dzimtene before municipal elections. As reported, the success of the union Dzimtene in the municipal elections in Riga was a big surprise. Sociologist Aigars Freimanis, interviewed by Rigas Balss, believes that unions success is directly related to extensive hidden political advertisements of the party in broadcast of the radio PIK. The sociologist argues that in according to the opinion polls the party was not very popular - only 1.7% of voters supported the union just couple days before the municipal elections. The leader of the United Social Democratic Welfare Party (the party is a member of the union Dzimtene) Juris Zuravlovs is a co-owner of the radio PIK. Rigas Balss and Russian-language media feature views of representatives of Dzimtene about the municipal elections results. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Neatkariga Rita Avize features a commentary by Sandris Tocs about the success of left-wing political parties in the municipal elections in Riga. The columnist believes that the results of the municipal elections are not surprising considering the ethnic structure of Rigas residents and the results of the 2001s municipal elections. However, Tocs notes that Russian-speakers should join so-called Latvian parties if they do not want to stay in ‘everlasting opposition referring to the inability of Russian parties to collect more than 50% of votes even in such municipalities as Riga and Daugavpils. Sandris Tocs praises the expressed wish of the New Centre [Russian party] to join the coalition in Riga Council and believes that it is a policy really aimed at the promotion of societal integration.

The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a statement regarding the prohibitions for non-citizens to participate in municipal elections in Latvia. Russian ministry describes the situation as ‘serious shortage of democracy in Latvia’ and calls the Council of Europe as well as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to take more drastic steps to remove these prohibitions.

The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a statement regarding the prohibitions for non-citizens to participate in municipal elections in Latvia. Russian ministry describes the situation as ‘serious shortage of democracy in Latvia and calls the Council of Europe as well as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to take more drastic steps to remove these prohibitions. Chas

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Ambassador of Great Britain to Latvia Andrew Tesoriere about societal integration in Latvia. The Ambassador points to a necessity to develop a positive image of Latvian citizenship: its advantages in Latvia and the EU should be explained more broadly. When commenting on naturalisation exams, Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere states that the Latvian language test complies with the present international standards. According to the Ambassador, the Latvian language training programme for naturalisation applicants in Latgale is carried out this year with the financial support of the British embassy.

Latvijas Avize reports on the growing number of Latvian citizens, who renounce Latvian citizenship. The newspaper refers to the statements of the Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane and reports that the largest group of people who renounce Latvian citizenship are those at the age of 18 – 30, who study or work in Russia or Germany and afterwards want to settle down and get married there. Another big group is women married with foreigners and retired people who move to foreign countries to live with their children or their native countries. In total 954 Russians and 524 Latvians renounced Latvian citizenship since 1999.

Neatkariga Rita Avize features an article about Belorussian Sofija Bizna, who arrived in Latvia 60 years ago. Sofija speaks Latvian fluently, but is not a citizen of Latvia and hence could not participate in municipal elections last Saturday. The woman at the age of 75 has not tried to pass the naturalisation exams, because she says that ‘it is difficult for old people to keep in mind various historical information about Latvia.

The Russian national union

The Russian national union Rodina (The Motherland) has announced about the organisation of the picket for the support for anti-fascism as a protest to the procession in commemoration of Latvian legionnaires, planned by the Klubs 415 (The Club 415) tomorrow. The picket is not authorised by the Riga City Council. Diena, Rigas Balss

• Provisional results of the municipal elections
• Experts talk about ethnic aspects in voting
• Article about political choices of non-Latvians in municipal elections in Riga
• Latvijas Avize reports on cases when recently naturalised persons did not have a possibility to vote
• Russia will discuss the situation in Latvia and Estonia during the session of the UN Commission on Human Rights
• Pickets against the prohibitions for non-citizens to participate in municipal elections take place in Riga and Moscow

Newspapers report on the provisional results of the municipal elections. According to

Newspapers report on the provisional results of the municipal elections. According to Diena, the Peoples Party received the highest number of mandates - 91 mandates out of 312 - in cities and towns, which are the centres of regional districts, and in Jurmala. The number of the mandates, received by other parties are the following: the New Era – 41, regional parties – 35, For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM – 26, united list of the Union of Farmers and Greens – 20, the Latvias Way and the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party – 17, the Latvian First Party – 16, For Human Rights in the United Latvia – 13. While in Riga at the moment the situation looks the following: New Era will receive 13 mandates out of 60, the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia - 9, the Peoples Party - 8, the union Dzimtene (union of the Latvian Socialist Party and the United Social Democratic Welfare Party) - 8, the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party - 7, the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM - 6, the New Centre –5 and the Latvian First Party - 4. The sociologist Aigars Freimanis believes that ideally the coalition in Riga City Council would be formed of the right-wing parties – the New Era, For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and the Peoples party, and if necessary - the New Centre. According to Freimanis, the inclusion of the New Centre in the coalition would provide a possibility to address non-Latvian voters. Only 52.85% of people having rights to vote participated in elections last Saturday. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Experts argue that ‘increased activity of Russian-speaking voters, polarisation and stratification of society and constantly growing number of naturalised persons are the main reasons for the success of political parties who claim to represent the interests of Russian-speakers.’ According to the provisional results, support for left wing parties in Riga has increased since the last Saeima’s elections. Today 36.6% of all voters support left-wing parties. The sociologist Arnis Kaktins believes that the results of the municipal elections show deep national cleavages.

Experts argue that ‘increased activity of Russian-speaking voters, polarisation and stratification of society and constantly growing number of naturalised persons are the main reasons for the success of political parties who claim to represent the interests of Russian-speakers. According to the provisional results, support for left wing parties in Riga has increased since the last Saeimas elections. Today 36.6% of all voters support left-wing parties. The sociologist Arnis Kaktins believes that the results of the municipal elections show deep national cleavages. Neatkariga Rita Avize comments on the success of the union Dzimtene (The Motherland) in municipal elections in Riga, which was a big surprise for many experts. Alfreds Rubiks, leader of the Latvian Socialist Party, which is a member of the union Dzimtene, believes that many people voted for the union in the protest to the existing situation. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

The Latvian daily

The Latvian daily Diena prints an article about political choices of non-Latvians in municipal elections in Riga. The article shows that non-Latvians, interviewed by the newspaper in two polling stations of Riga, chose different parties although almost all of them voted for left-wing parties. Several voters stated that they voted for the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) because they do not support the implementation of the minority education reform. While a woman stressed that she voted for the Peoples Harmony Party because ‘they do not bring minority students out in the streets to protest against the implementation of the education reform. Several non-Latvians said that they voted for the union Dzimtene. The argument was that ‘in FHRUL there are no normal people any more.

Latvijas Avize, referring to the news agency BNS, reports on cases when recently naturalised persons did not have a possibility to vote because they had not managed to exchange their non-citizen passport for citizen passports.

Russia will discuss the situation in Latvia and Estonia during the session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, which starts today in Geneva. The Head of the Russian delegation Jurij Fedotov stated that respect towards Nazi allies and the attitude of these states towards ethnic minorities are unacceptable for Russia.

Russia will discuss the situation in Latvia and Estonia during the session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, which starts today in Geneva. The Head of the Russian delegation Jurij Fedotov stated that respect towards Nazi allies and the attitude of these states towards ethnic minorities are unacceptable for Russia. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

On Saturday approximately 40 persons participated in a picket, organised by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia near the Latvian embassy in Russia. According to the representative of the party Aleksejs Ostrovskis, the goal of the picket was to ‘remind the world that 40% of Latvia’s residents were denied the right to vote in municipal elections.’

On Saturday approximately 40 persons participated in a picket, organised by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia near the Latvian embassy in Russia. According to the representative of the party Aleksejs Ostrovskis, the goal of the picket was to ‘remind the world that 40% of Latvias residents were denied the right to vote in municipal elections. Vesti Segodnya reports that a picket against prohibitions for non-citizens to participate in municipal elections in Riga took place as well. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

• Union of minorities organisations ‘Commonwealth calls to promote ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Article about ways to annul Latvian citizenship acquired in an illegal way
• European Week Against Racism will take place in Riga next week
• Uldis Sesks: municipality has no reasons to prohibit the procession of Latvian legionnaires

Vesti Segodnya prints an open letter of the union of minorities organisations ‘Commonwealth to the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers, calling to promote ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Union regards the Framework Convention as an instrument for societal integration in Latvia, and states that the Convention should be ratified without any reservations. The authors of the letter also propose their definition of ‘national minority: all permanent residents of Latvia but Latvians are national minorities.

Latvijas Avize reprints fragments of the article, published on the internet media Delfi. The author of the article states that Latvian citizenship is very ‘safe: once a person has acquired Latvian citizenship, there are no ways to lose it. The author particularly refers to the case of Olga Bocilova. At the beginning of 90-ies she was granted Latvian citizenship on the basis that her father was a Latvian citizen. However, after several years it was discovered that Bocilova was born in Vilnius in the family of a soviet officer who was not Latvian citizen, therefore had no rights to receive Latvian citizenship. The further investigation also discovered that the application submitted to the Naturalisation Board was not written by Bocilova and therefore the case was closed. In 2003 the case was re-opened, nevertheless no legal measures were taken again. The Prosecutor General Office explains that firstly, the time limit of the case has already expired and, secondly, there is no legal mechanism in Latvia, which regulates such situations.

According to the information of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, the European Week Against Racism will take place in Riga next week.

According to the information of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, the European Week Against Racism will take place in Riga next week. Diena

Chas prints excerpts from the letter of the Liepajas Mayor Uldis Sesks addressed to representatives of the Russian Community. Previously representatives of the Russian community called the Mayor to prohibit the procession in the commemoration of Latvian legionnaires to take place on 16 March. Uldis Sesks states that the municipality has no reasons to prohibit the procession and calls the Russian community not to manipulate with historical facts and incite hatred.

• Saeima votes down proposal on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Rene van der Linden: Latvia should promote societal integration of Russian-speakers
• Diena points to inevitability of ethnic voting in tomorrows municipal elections
• After a possibly racially motivated assault, police increases patrolling in the OldTown
• Peoples Harmony Party calls for resignation of the head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee
• Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina blames the State Security Police for not preventing registration of a national-Bolshevics organisation
• Latvijas Vestnesis writes about terrorist threats and Muslims in Latvia
• Opening of an Ethnic Centre in Daugavpils

Yesterday Saeima voted down proposal of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Only 19 MPs from the FHRUL, the Peoples Harmony Party and the Latvian Socialist party supported this proposal, while the 57 representatives of the governing coalition and the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM voted against, and 10 MPs, mainly from the parliamentary group of Latvias First Party, abstained. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

‘We expect an intensification of the Latvian governments work in the area of Russian-speakers integration, stated the president of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden during an interview to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Rene van der Linden believes that it is necessary to help Russian-speakers to learn Latvian language, and to facilitate the naturalisation process in order to foster social integration. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Diena points to the inevitability of ethnic voting in tomorrows municipal elections. According to the newspaper, political parties use nationalistic issues in order to frighten voters. Political analyst Marija Golubeva notes that parties For Human Rights in the United Latvia and the New Centre extensively use minority education reforms issue in their pre-election campaigns. Party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM warns voters about possible appearance of street signs in Russian after the planned ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The head of the International Migration Organisations Bureau in Latvia Ilmars Mezs believes that ethnic voting is pre-conditioned by the demographic situation in Latvia, and predicts that people will not start to vote on a different basis for another ten-twenty years. Diena

Following an order of the Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons, police started to pay special attention to the places in the Old Town of Riga where skinheads and other radically minded young persons are known to gather. The minister issued the order after a possibly racially motivated assault against a dark-skinned Indian in the Old Town. Diena

Proposal of the Peoples Harmony Party to recall the head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins (Peoples Party) from his post was not included in the Saeimas agenda yesterday. The chairperson of the party Janis Jurkans reproached Aleksandrs Kirsteins for his recent statements about necessity to substitute the state integration policy for partial assimilation or repatriation of ethnic non-Latvians. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina expressed indignation about the fact of the State Security Police not being able to provide legal arguments to the Register of Enterprises which would be good enough to prevent registration of a National Bolshevik organisation NBP. According to the Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons, who supervises work of the State Security Police, the police repeatedly asked the Register of Enterprises not to register this organisation. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Vestnesis publishes an article about last year terrorist attack in Madrid, present terrorist threats in Europe, Islamic extremists, and Muslim community in Latvia. The author states that it is difficult to obtain precise information about number of Muslims living in Latvia. According to the head of the Board on Religious Affairs Ringolds Balodis, approximately 2,000 supporters of this religion united in seven religious organisations and several cultural societies, are living in Latvia, while chairperson of the Riga Muslims Board Rufija Sevireva names a figure of 5,000. Latvia. According to Latvijas Vestnesis, Muslims pose no threat to the political system or state security at present, but the situation could change due to a possible increase of the number of asylum seekers in the future.

This week the Ethnic Centre of Daugavpils was opened in the building of Daugavpils City Council, with a financial support of the EU PHARE programme. According to the project coordinator Ilze Onzule, the goal of the centre is to promote collaboration between different ethnic communities in Daugavpils. 54,3% of people living in Daugavpils are Russians, 17,2% - Latvians, 15% - Poles, and 8,3% - Belarussians. Diena