• 150,000th person was granted Latvian citizenship since the naturalisation procedure was launched in 1995
• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers: non-citizens are the most privileged part of Latvian residents
• FF/LNIM propose draft amendments to the Constitution stipulating free-of-charge education only in Latvian language
• Head of the New Eras faction in the Riga City Council Edgars Jaunups: ethnic Latvian parties should unite ethnic Latvian electorate like the Concord Centre unites ethnic Russian electorate
• There are 48 asylum seekers in Latvia

150,000

150,000th person was granted Latvian citizenship since the naturalisation procedure was launched in 1995. This includes 132,636 persons who received citizenship through naturalisation, 9,278 persons who received citizenship through registration and 8,086 persons who were born after 21 august 1991 and also granted citizenship through registration. The citizenship was granted to 578 persons in 2007, 601 in 2008 and 620 during the nine months of 2009. Chas

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers in interview with Polish newspaper

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers in interview with Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita regarding situation of non-citizens in Latvia stated that they are the most privileged part of Latvian residents because non-citizens have right to travel without visa on two continents from Gibraltar to Kamchatka. Vesti Segodnya

The political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) fears that after the next Saeima’s elections the Concord Centre might take part in the governing coalition, therefore the FF/LNIM elaborated draft amendments to the Constitution of Latvia stipulating that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in Latvian language. According to the FF/LNIM only amendments in the Constitution would preserve state language’s positions in Latvia. 

The political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) fears that after the next Saeimas elections the Concord Centre might take part in the governing coalition, therefore the FF/LNIM elaborated draft amendments to the Constitution of Latvia stipulating that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in Latvian language. According to the FF/LNIM only amendments in the Constitution would preserve state languages positions in Latvia. Latvijas Avize

Head of the New Era’s faction in the Riga City Council Edgars Jaunups in an interview with

Head of the New Eras faction in the Riga City Council Edgars Jaunups in an interview with Latvijas Avize stated that ethnic Latvian parties should find a way for co-operation in order to unite ethnic Latvian electorate, alleging that the Concord Centre unites ethnic Russian electorate. Mr. Jaunups criticized the governing coalition of the City Council for its contacts with cities in Russia and Belarus and accuses it does not put priority on the contacts with the EU countries. Mr. Jaunups also believes that co-operation of the New Era with the Concord Centre is not possible due to mistrust of ethnic Latvian residents to the Concord Centre because of its position regarding ethnic issues.

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, presently there are 48 asylum seekers in Latvia and every year the number grows. The majority of asylum seekers are from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, presently there are 48 asylum seekers in Latvia and every year the number grows. The majority of asylum seekers are from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. NRA

• Inspectors of the State language Centre fined one more municipal deputy for insufficient state language proficiency

 

Inspectors of the State language Centre fined one more municipal deputy for insufficient state language proficiency - this time member of the Jekabpils City Council Natalja Cehova. According to Mrs. Cehova, despite the fact that she spoke Latvian during the Council’s working sessions the inspectors criticized her pronunciation and wrong endings. The deputy did not agree with the conclusion of the State Language Centre and is planning to dispute it in the court. Another deputy of the Liepaja City Council Valerijs Kravcovs also fined by the SCL is planning to dispute the decision as well. Vesti Segodnya

Inspectors of the State language Centre fined one more municipal deputy for insufficient state language proficiency - this time member of the Jekabpils City Council Natalja Cehova. According to Mrs. Cehova, despite the fact that she spoke Latvian during the Councils working sessions the inspectors criticized her pronunciation and wrong endings. The deputy did not agree with the conclusion of the State Language Centre and is planning to dispute it in the court. Another deputy of the Liepaja City Council Valerijs Kravcovs also fined by the SCL is planning to dispute the decision as well. Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of Education and Science Tatjana Koke believes Latvia has a successful model of bilingual education that could be a good example to all Europe
• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with Vice President of the World Congress of Russian Speaking Jewry Valeriy Engel
• Ethnic minorities festival United in Diversity will start on 28 November

The Minister of Education and Science Tatjana Koke believes that Latvia has a successful model of bilingual education and it could be a good example to all European countries. According to the data of the Ministry of Education and Science for the past school year, 73,54% of all Latvian students studied in Latvian language and 25,83% in Russian language. Among ethnic minorities in Russian language studied 96,77% Jews, 86,16% Ukrainians, 83,27% Russians, 77,09% Belorussians, 71,34% Polish, and 56,35% Germans. 70,48% Roma, 56,74% Lithuanians, and 52,84% Estonians studied in Latvian language.

The Minister of Education and Science Tatjana Koke believes that Latvia has a successful model of bilingual education and it could be a good example to all European countries. According to the data of the Ministry of Education and Science for the past school year, 73,54% of all Latvian students studied in Latvian language and 25,83% in Russian language. Among ethnic minorities in Russian language studied 96,77% Jews, 86,16% Ukrainians, 83,27% Russians, 77,09% Belorussians, 71,34% Polish, and 56,35% Germans. 70,48% Roma, 56,74% Lithuanians, and 52,84% Estonians studied in Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with Vice President of the World Congress of Russian Speaking Jewry Valeriy Engel. Mr Engel argues that Waffen SS was part of SS organisation condemned by the Nuremberg Tribunal and criticizes Latvia for justification of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. Mr. Engel also believes that it is wrong to equate Nazi regime and Stalins regime because Holocaust cannot be equated with anything else.

Chas reports that a cultural festival of ethnic minorities United in Diversity organised by the association of ethnic cultural NGOs will start on 28 November. The festival is held for the seventh year.

• Illegal under age migrants will probably be granted the right to education in Latvia
• MP Igors Pimenovs proposes to cancel obligatory state language proportion 40/60 in secondary schools
• Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis will not bring apologies for mentioning only ethnic Latvian people during his speech on the occasion of the Independence Day
• Book Latvian Jews and Soviet Power 1928-1953 published

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Education, Culture and Science Committee supported amendment proposal to the Education Law envisaging to grant the right to education in the country to those persons without citizenship, refugees, persons with alternative status and under age residents of non-EU countries who do not have legal right to stay in Latvia. The draft amendments stipulate that “illegals” have right to study in Latvia while they await for decision on deportation.

Yesterday, the Saeimas Education, Culture and Science Committee supported amendment proposal to the Education Law envisaging to grant the right to education in the country to those persons without citizenship, refugees, persons with alternative status and under age residents of non-EU countries who do not have legal right to stay in Latvia. The draft amendments stipulate that illegals have right to study in Latvia while they await for decision on deportation. Vesti Segodnya

The MP Igors Pimenovs (the Concord Centre) and activist of the Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instruction proposes to cancel obligatory state language proportion 40/60 in secondary schools. The MP considers that the proposal corresponds to recommendations of experts and international norms including the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities. The proposal to the Education law will be reviewed by the Education, Culture and Science Committee.

The MP Igors Pimenovs (the Concord Centre) and activist of the Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instruction proposes to cancel obligatory state language proportion 40/60 in secondary schools. The MP considers that the proposal corresponds to recommendations of experts and international norms including the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities. The proposal to the Education law will be reviewed by the Education, Culture and Science Committee. Vesti Segodnya

The Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis will not bring apologies for mentioning only “ethnic Latvian people” during his speech on the occasion of the Independence Day of Latvia on 18 November.  Reproach for such statement was made by the MP Janis Urbanovics who considered that such statement excludes ethnic non-Latvians.  Mr. Dombrovskis replying to the reproach stated that ethnic Latvians are primary nation of the country and ethnic non-Latvians who fill their belonging to the state will never be offended by mentioning of ethnic Latvians in the ceremonial speech.

The Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis will not bring apologies for mentioning only ethnic Latvian people during his speech on the occasion of the Independence Day of Latvia on 18 November. Reproach for such statement was made by the MP Janis Urbanovics who considered that such statement excludes ethnic non-Latvians. Mr. Dombrovskis replying to the reproach stated that ethnic Latvians are primary nation of the country and ethnic non-Latvians who fill their belonging to the state will never be offended by mentioning of ethnic Latvians in the ceremonial speech. Latvijas Avize

NRA reports about a new book Latvian Jews and Soviet Power 1928-1953 edited by the Centre of Yudaika of the University of Latvia.

• Telegraf: number of Muslims in Latvia is growing
• Concord Centre concluded an agreement on co-operation with Russias governing party United Russia

Telegraf prints an article about Muslims in Latvia. According to the article, number of Muslims in Latvia is growing. Presently, there are 12 Muslim associations in Latvia and about 5,000 - 10,000 Muslims living in Latvia. According to Latvian Imam Mamud, Islam has negative image in society due to large amount of negative information in media and lack of knowledge among general public about the religion. Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris considers the majority of Latvian Muslims are representatives of traditionally Muslim peoples of the former Soviet Union. Mrs. Brands Kehris also considers that problems and discrimination in Latvia are mostly facing Muslims who came from Asian, African and West European countries, while the main problem for the whole Muslim community in Latvia is absence of Mosque.

The Concord Centre concluded an agreement on co-operation with Russia’s governing party United Russia. According to representatives of the Concord Centre both parties share many positions and opinions. Social scientist Aigras Freimanis considers that such agreement might hinder co-operation of ethnic Latvian parties with the Concord Centre.

The Concord Centre concluded an agreement on co-operation with Russias governing party United Russia. According to representatives of the Concord Centre both parties share many positions and opinions. Social scientist Aigras Freimanis considers that such agreement might hinder co-operation of ethnic Latvian parties with the Concord Centre. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena