• Chas prints an interview with one of the authors of the shadow report on implementation of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities in Latvia, the MP Boriss Cilevics
• Minister of Education Tatjana Koke has replied to an inquiry of the Saeimas faction For Human rights in United Latvia regarding minority schools and education
• European Commission against Racism and Intolerance recommends Latvia to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections

Chas prints an interview with one of the authors of the shadow report on implementation of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities in Latvia, the MP from the Saeimas faction The Concord Centre Boriss Cilevics. Mr. Cilevics has stated that the official governmental report which has been submitted to the Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe is incomplete and inaccurate. According to Mr. Cilevics, the shadow report stresses not only legislative acts but also factual situation in Latvia. Boriss Cilevics believes that various articles of the Framework Convention which are not implemented in Latvia because various legal norms and practices do not comply with requirements of the Convention. This mainly concerns usage of minority languages, distortion of non-Latvian names in accordance with Latvian grammar and education of ethnic minorities.

The Minister of Education Tatjana Koke has replied to an inquiry of the Saeima’s faction For Human rights in United Latvia regarding minority schools and education. According to the reply, about 30% of schools in Latvia are implementing education programs for ethnic minorities.   The Minister has stated that the reduction of the number of classes and the decrease of the number of students in Russian language schools is related to the general decrease of population of the country. The Minister has promised to support minority schools and promote education quality.

The Minister of Education Tatjana Koke has replied to an inquiry of the Saeimas faction For Human rights in United Latvia regarding minority schools and education. According to the reply, about 30% of schools in Latvia are implementing education programs for ethnic minorities. The Minister has stated that the reduction of the number of classes and the decrease of the number of students in Russian language schools is related to the general decrease of population of the country. The Minister has promised to support minority schools and promote education quality. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that yesterday, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has publicised a report on the situation in Latvia during the past 5 years. The Commission criticizes the existing differences in rights of Latvian citizens and non-citizens and again recommends Latvian government to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections.

• Telegraf reports that the Police are searching for a citizen of Pakistan who is missing with three of his children
• State Language Centre has fined an official of a municipal institution who has hired a worker with insufficient Latvian language proficiency
• NGO Dialogi.lv has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country
• Chas prints an article about integration policy in Latvia

Telegraf reports that the Police are searching for a citizen of Pakistan who is missing with three of his children. The Pakistani man is married to a Latvian woman and has lived in Latvia for about 10 years. However, the couple decided to divorce and the wife has appealed to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs asking to annul residence permit for her Pakistani husband. The man did not wait for the official decision in divorce case and the decision of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and disappeared with three underage children.

Telegraf reports that the inspectors of the State Language Centre have imposed a fine of LVL 100 (EUR 142) on an official of a municipal institution who has hired a worker with insufficient Latvian language proficiency. The official did not check whether the potential employee has the state language certificate.

NGO “Dialogi.lv” has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country. Yesterday, journalists were invited to a meeting with an asylum seeker from Kenya – a woman who has arrived to Latvia with her 4 year-old child. The woman presently waits for court decision and resides in the centre for asylum seekers. The woman has told about problems she faces in Latvia such as lack of means of subsistence and inability to communicate with state institutions in Latvian language.

NGO Dialogi.lv has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country. Yesterday, journalists were invited to a meeting with an asylum seeker from Kenya – a woman who has arrived to Latvia with her 4 year-old child. The woman presently waits for court decision and resides in the centre for asylum seekers. The woman has told about problems she faces in Latvia such as lack of means of subsistence and inability to communicate with state institutions in Latvian language. Latvijas Avize, NRA

Chas prints an article about integration policy in Latvia. According to the article, Latvian society will become truly integrated only if multiculturalism becomes the basis for Latvian national policy. Author of the article believes that the most significant task for the government is to make sure that parties and non-governmental organisations in Latvia become multicultural.

• State Language Agency has launched a campaign which calls upon non-Latvians to learn Latvian language

The State Language Agency has launched a campaign which calls upon ethnic non-Latvians to learn Latvian language. Non-Latvians are addressed in audio advertisements broadcasted on several radio channels. Also, in the framework of the campaign, ethnic Latvians are called to speak with non-Latvians in Latvian language.

The State Language Agency has launched a campaign which calls upon ethnic non-Latvians to learn Latvian language. Non-Latvians are addressed in audio advertisements broadcasted on several radio channels. Also, in the framework of the campaign, ethnic Latvians are called to speak with non-Latvians in Latvian language. Telegraf

• The new Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov will continue a dialogue with Latvian government concerning the problem of large scale non-citizenship

The new Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov has stated that he will continue a dialogue with Latvian government concerning the problem of large scale non-citizenship in Latvia. The Ambassador believes that Latvian citizenship could be granted automatically to persons who were born in Latvia and to elder people.

The new Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov has stated that he will continue a dialogue with Latvian government concerning the problem of large scale non-citizenship in Latvia. The Ambassador believes that Latvian citizenship could be granted automatically to persons who were born in Latvia and to elder people. Vesti Segodnya

• Latvian Human Rights Committee is presenting a shadow report on implementation of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities in Latvia

Chas reports that today, the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee is presenting a shadow report on implementation of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities in Latvia ratified by the Saeima in 2005. The shadow report will be reviewed by the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention of the Council of Europe along with the official report prepared by governmental institutions.