• Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina talks about amendments to the Citizenship Law
• So-called Russian parties are not ready to collaborate with the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia
• More news on unofficial immigrants from Somalia
• Annual Livs Days in Mazirbe

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina about amendments to the Citizenship Law. According to the Minister, the amendments foresee to ease the Latvian citizenship acquisition procedure for newborn children whose parents are Latvian non-citizens. The amendments will also introduce changes in the oath given by new citizens and will set clearer criteria. Telegraf writes that the formation of a professional army in Latvia may result in the rise of naturalisation applicants. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The other so-called Russian parties – the Harmony Centre and the union of political parties Fatherland and Latvia’s Socialist Party – are not ready to respond to the call of the union For Human rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) about the consolidation of parties. The representative of the Harmony Centre Janis Urbanovics states that the proposal of FHRUL is provocative and aimed at splitting society.  Janis Urbanovics and the leader of the Motherland Jurijs Zuravlovs do not support the suggestion of FHRUL to fight for granting the Russian language the official status in Latvia. The leader of the Latvia’s Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks believes that all children should be granted the right to learn in their mother tongue, however, he does not agree that that the rights of only one – Russian linguistic group – should be highlighted. According to Alfreds Rubiks, his party does not support the involvement of children into protest actions. According to the members of the political parties interviewed, FHRUL has not informed them about the desire to consolidate. As reported, FHRUL announced about the necessity to achieve unity among so-called Russian-parties and then achieve granting of the official status to the Russian language, the renewal of the public education system of all levels in the Russian language and solving the mass non-citizenship.

The other so-called Russian parties – the Harmony Centre and the union of political parties Fatherland and Latvias Socialist Party – are not ready to respond to the call of the union For Human rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) about the consolidation of parties. The representative of the Harmony Centre Janis Urbanovics states that the proposal of FHRUL is provocative and aimed at splitting society. Janis Urbanovics and the leader of the Motherland Jurijs Zuravlovs do not support the suggestion of FHRUL to fight for granting the Russian language the official status in Latvia. The leader of the Latvias Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks believes that all children should be granted the right to learn in their mother tongue, however, he does not agree that that the rights of only one – Russian linguistic group – should be highlighted. According to Alfreds Rubiks, his party does not support the involvement of children into protest actions. According to the members of the political parties interviewed, FHRUL has not informed them about the desire to consolidate. As reported, FHRUL announced about the necessity to achieve unity among so-called Russian-parties and then achieve granting of the official status to the Russian language, the renewal of the public education system of all levels in the Russian language and solving the mass non-citizenship. Latvijas Avize

Newspapers continue to write about seven unoffcial immigrants from Somalia who were detained on Friday and placed in the Olaine refugee camp by the Boarder Guard. According to the newspapers, the Boarder Guard will decide whether the detainees are illegal immigrants and should be deported from Latvia. The refugees have the right to seek for asylum in Latvia.

Newspapers continue to write about seven unoffcial immigrants from Somalia who were detained on Friday and placed in the Olaine refugee camp by the Boarder Guard. According to the newspapers, the Boarder Guard will decide whether the detainees are illegal immigrants and should be deported from Latvia. The refugees have the right to seek for asylum in Latvia. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya

Diena reports on celebration of the annual Livs Days in Mazirbe last weekend.

• Seven unofficial immigrants from Somalia detained in Latvia
• Discussions on suitability of Nils Muiznieks for post of director of the Latvian National Human Rights Office

Seven people from Somalia – five men and two women - were illegally brought to Latvia. On Friday they arrived in the Riga Office of the Red Cross seeking help. None of Somalis could present any documents and, although almost none of them speak any other languages but native, could explain that they were promised to be brought to a Scandinavian country and not to Latvia.

Seven people from Somalia – five men and two women - were illegally brought to Latvia. On Friday they arrived in the Riga Office of the Red Cross seeking help. None of Somalis could present any documents and, although almost none of them speak any other languages but native, could explain that they were promised to be brought to a Scandinavian country and not to Latvia. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize continues discussions on the suitability of Nils Muiznieks for post of director of the Latvian National Human Rights Office. The newspaper admits that Nils Muiznieks is highly qualified in the field, however, it says that he should not take this post because of his former activities as a Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration which have been sharply criticised several politicians and members of society.

• FHRUL invites Russian parties to unite
• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM: Citizenship Law should be made more restrictive

Leaders of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) Tatjana Zdanoka and Jakovs Pliners have invited the so-called Russian parties, notably Harmony Centre and Latvia’s Socialist Party, to unite before the forthcoming Saeima elections to be held in autumn 2006. The FHRUL hopes to achieve unity among the Russian-parties to seek the granting of official status to the Russian language and the renewal of the education system in the Russian language as well as ways of resolving the issue of mass non-citizenship. FHRUL also expects that these parties will offer financial and organisational support to the Headquarters for the Defence of the Russian-language schools and its organised protest actions.

Leaders of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) Tatjana Zdanoka and Jakovs Pliners have invited the so-called Russian parties, notably Harmony Centre and Latvias Socialist Party, to unite before the forthcoming Saeima elections to be held in autumn 2006. The FHRUL hopes to achieve unity among the Russian-parties to seek the granting of official status to the Russian language and the renewal of the education system in the Russian language as well as ways of resolving the issue of mass non-citizenship. FHRUL also expects that these parties will offer financial and organisational support to the Headquarters for the Defence of the Russian-language schools and its organised protest actions. Latvijas Avize prints an article by the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ainars Latkovskis, who believes that the activities of the Headquarters are used to increase the popularity of politicians and are not aimed at solving the problems in the realm of minority education and citizenship. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segondya

In response to the critics from the left-wing political parties regarding the draft law on benefits to national partisans, the chairman of the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Janis Straume yesterday highlighted the need to make the Citizenship Law more restrictive. According to Straume, the FF/LNIM do not see the basis for the statements of several left-wing MPs who have branded national partisans bandits. The party also believes that the presence of MPs, ill-disposed towards Latvia, in the parliament is indicative of the existence of voters, ill-disposed towards Latvia, in society. Under these circumstances, according to the leader of the FF/LNIM, the Citizenship Law should be made more restrictive foreseeing both stronger requirements for naturalisation applicants, and provide for more possibilities to deprive an individual of the Latvian citizenship.

In response to the critics from the left-wing political parties regarding the draft law on benefits to national partisans, the chairman of the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Janis Straume yesterday highlighted the need to make the Citizenship Law more restrictive. According to Straume, the FF/LNIM do not see the basis for the statements of several left-wing MPs who have branded national partisans bandits. The party also believes that the presence of MPs, ill-disposed towards Latvia, in the parliament is indicative of the existence of voters, ill-disposed towards Latvia, in society. Under these circumstances, according to the leader of the FF/LNIM, the Citizenship Law should be made more restrictive foreseeing both stronger requirements for naturalisation applicants, and provide for more possibilities to deprive an individual of the Latvian citizenship. Chas, Telegraf

• A draft law stipulating granting Russian the status of the official language will be prepared by the FHRUL

‘MPs of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia are planning to develop a draft law stipulating the granting of the status of the official language to Russian’, member of FHRUL and the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Vladimirs Buzajevs announced yesterday. According to Buzajevs, the adoption of such a law ‘would solve the problems of the Russian linguistic minority’.

‘MPs of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia are planning to develop a draft law stipulating the granting of the status of the official language to Russian, member of FHRUL and the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Vladimirs Buzajevs announced yesterday. According to Buzajevs, the adoption of such a law ‘would solve the problems of the Russian linguistic minority. Latvijas Avize

• Diena reports on the success of minority students in the national Latvian language exam
• President of Russia Vladimir Putin criticizes the Baltic States for the existence of the non-citizen status
• Diena fosters a discussion about possibilities of promoting tolerance among youth
• Information about new protest action against minority education reform
• Saeima Presidium refuses the extension of accreditation to the journalists of the national-radical newspaper DDD

Diena reports on the results of national exams, stating that the results of minority students in the Latvian language exam are better than those by the Latvian students. The knowledge of 15,5 % of minority students was rated as being at the two lowest – E and F – levels, while the share of Latvian students receiving the same grades in the Latvian language exam reached 32,6%. According to the Director of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science Arturs Skrastins, minority students of grade 9 also showed good Latvian language proficiency (two thirds of them passed the exam at A, B or C levels), which attests to their readiness to study at least 60% of the subjects in Latvian at secondary school.

Newspapers report on the meeting of the President of Finland  Tarja Halonen and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. During the meeting the President of Russia expressed indignation about the existence of non-citizen status in the Baltic States, stressing that no legal system foresees such a status and promising to discuss the issue with Russia’s partners in the EU. In turn, Halonen stated that Latvia and Estonia are working to solve the problem of Russian-speakers, and called upon Russia to sign boarder agreements with these states. Halonen also questioned the possibility of including the non-citizen issue among the priorities of the Finnish EU Presidency, which will commence during the second half of 2006.

Newspapers report on the meeting of the President of Finland Tarja Halonen and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. During the meeting the President of Russia expressed indignation about the existence of non-citizen status in the Baltic States, stressing that no legal system foresees such a status and promising to discuss the issue with Russias partners in the EU. In turn, Halonen stated that Latvia and Estonia are working to solve the problem of Russian-speakers, and called upon Russia to sign boarder agreements with these states. Halonen also questioned the possibility of including the non-citizen issue among the priorities of the Finnish EU Presidency, which will commence during the second half of 2006. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Diena fosters discussion about the possibilities of promoting tolerance among youth by featuring the opinions of several experts. All the experts point to the role of teachers in promoting tolerance among young people. Programme director of the Education Development Centre Aija Tuna believes that teachers in Latvia still tend to divide all answers in ‘right and ‘wrong and this impedes the process of education for tolerance in schools. According to Tuna, today teachers are not ready to work with a child who differs from majority, be it a child with a different native language or a child with mental or physical disabilities. Human rights expert Nils Muiznieks and the research coordinator of the organisation Education International Guntars Catlaks point to the role of politicians in promoting tolerance in society. According to Muiznieks, it is also necessary to elaborate new textbooks reflecting the real diversity of the society.

Russian-language newspapers

Russian-language newspapers inform about new protest action against minority education reform, planned by the Headquarters for the Defence of the Russian-language Schools. According to the head of Saeima For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) faction Jakovs Pliners, the protest action will allegedly take place in mid-September. In the forthcoming week, the representatives of the FHRUL and Headquarters are planning to visit Rezekne (the town in Eastern Latvia where the repeated municipal elections are planned in August) to collect signatures in support of the requirement to grant the voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

After assessing the information provided by the State Security Police, the Saeima Presidium decided to refuse the extension of accreditation to the journalists of the national-radical newspaper

After assessing the information provided by the State Security Police, the Saeima Presidium decided to refuse the extension of accreditation to the journalists of the national-radical newspaper DDD. As reported, two journalists of this newspaper have been charged with the incitement of ethnic hatred in their publications. Diena, Latvijas Avize