• Telegraf reports about the EU project Intercultural Dialogue in Latvia

Telegraf reports about the EU project Intercultural Dialogue in Latvia coordinated by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. The European Commission and Latvian government have granted EUR 35, 000 each for realisation of the project. The aim of the project is to give representatives of various ethnicities, religions and youth movements an opportunity to inform the public about themselves trough mass media, to draw attention to their problems and achievements.

• The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins criticizes implementation of norms of the State Language Law in Daugavpils
• Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Language Agency has launched an information campaign which calls upon non-Latvians to learn Latvian language
• Majority of Latvian residents have negative attitude towards guest workers

The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins, after a visit to Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia), has stated that the fact that the majority of Daugavpils’ residents are Russian speakers is not an excuse salespersons in the stores cannot give information about the goods in state language or that Russian language is used in municipal structures. Gaidis Berzins is planning to discuss with the director of the State Language Centre activities for the control of implementation of norms of the State Language Law in the city. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Daugavpils Rita Strode has stated that the statements of the Minister are not objective because the young generation in the city freely speaks the state language.

The Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins, after a visit to Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia), has stated that the fact that the majority of Daugavpils residents are Russian speakers is not an excuse salespersons in the stores cannot give information about the goods in state language or that Russian language is used in municipal structures. Gaidis Berzins is planning to discuss with the director of the State Language Centre activities for the control of implementation of norms of the State Language Law in the city. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Daugavpils Rita Strode has stated that the statements of the Minister are not objective because the young generation in the city freely speaks the state language. Chas

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Language Agency has launched an information campaign which calls upon non-Latvians to learn Latvian language. Meanwhile, the State Language Centre has launched a campaign Friendly Environment for Latvian Language. The aim of the action is to determine the enterprises which readily follow norms of the State Language Law.

According to a survey conducted by the internet portal

According to a survey conducted by the internet portal www.viedokli.lv, the majority of Latvian residents have negative attitude towards guest workers. 29% of respondents support the migration of foreign labour force to Latvia, while 62% are against it. 61% of respondents consider that the guest workers should occupy only low qualified jobs. Vesti Segodnya

• MP Sandra Kalniete: Latvian citizenship could not be granted to everyone
• European Commission has sent a notification to Latvia on incomplete transposition of European regulations regarding elimination of discrimination at work places
• Chas prints an article about ethnic minority policy in Latvia

In an interview with

In an interview with Chas the MP Sandra Kalniete (New Era) has stated that despite the fact that Russian speaking residents of Latvia have supported restoration of Latvian independence in 1991, everybody could not be granted Latvian citizenship because Latvia is not a new country but the country which restored its independence. Therefore, according to Mrs. Kalniete, persons who want to become citizens should naturalise.

Diena reports that the European Commission (EC) has issued warnings to Latvia and 13 others EU countries that have not fully transposed European regulations prohibiting discrimination in the work place on grounds of religion, age, disabilities and sexual orientation. The EC criticizes Latvia for too restrictive definition of discrimination in Latvian legislation and too broad exceptions to the ban on age discrimination.

Chas prints an article about ethnic minority policy in Latvia. Columnist believes that all residents who came to Latvia during Soviet times cannot be considered as immigrants because in these times there was one large country USSR. The columnist also believes that Latvia should build its policy based on principle of ethnic diversity.

• FHRUL has sent a request to the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke asking to restore the department of ethnic minority schools
• Chas reports on a roundtable discussion Language Charter of the Council of Europe: advantages, disadvantages, and perspectives for ratification in Latvia

The Saeima’s faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) has sent a request to the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke asking to restore the department of ethnic minority schools.  The FHRUL also asked the Minister to explain the reasons for reduction of number of ethnic minority schools in Latvia.

The Saeimas faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) has sent a request to the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke asking to restore the department of ethnic minority schools. The FHRUL also asked the Minister to explain the reasons for reduction of number of ethnic minority schools in Latvia. Chas

Chas reports on a roundtable discussion Language Charter of the Council of Europe: advantages, disadvantages, and perspectives for ratification in Latvia held on 3 February in Riga. The MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka has stated that ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which is only signed by Latvia, would promote assertion and preservation of linguistic rights of ethnic minorities in Latvia.

• Naturalisation Board has launched a project Citizenship – My Responsibility, Rights and Opportunities
• NRA reports about a book Ethnic Minorities in Latvia: History and Present

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Naturalisation Board (NB) has launched a project Citizenship – My Responsibility, Rights and Opportunities. In the framework of the project, the NB will inform the residents of Latvia about opportunities to receive Latvian citizenship.

NRA reports about a book Ethnic Minorities in Latvia: History and Present issued by the Philosophy and History Institute of the University of Latvia. The book tells about the history and current situation of all ethnic minorities in Latvia.