• Diena comments on reports on allegedly racially motivated assaults
• Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supports amendments to the Criminal Law

Diena comments on the fact that there have been a number of reports about allegedly racially motivated assaults committed in Riga. The newspaper argues that the state hinders to take any measures to combat manifestations of racism. The daily stresses that the adoption of the anti-discrimination law as well as the respective amendments to the Criminal Law, the Civil Law of Latvia and the Code of Administrative Violations in Saeima has been delayed. The author of the article also quotes the Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis who has stated that the best way to deal with racial violence is education of society, while the Director of the National Human Rights Office Olafs Bruvers has argued that ‘individual incidents do not show that we have racism or anti-Semitism here.

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the Criminal Law, proposed by the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM). The amendments stipulate the introduction of penalty for persons who have repeatedly violated the procedure on holding and running of public events. According to the amendments court may impose the following penalties for breaching the procedure: imprisonment up to 2 years, arrest, forced labour or fine in the amount of 40 minimal monthly salaries. The head of FF/LNIM parliamentary group Maris Grinblats argued that the amendments would provide instruments to deal with those who ‘find loopholes in legislation’ referring to protest actions against the minority education reform organised  by the Headquarters’ for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools.

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the Criminal Law, proposed by the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM). The amendments stipulate the introduction of penalty for persons who have repeatedly violated the procedure on holding and running of public events. According to the amendments court may impose the following penalties for breaching the procedure: imprisonment up to 2 years, arrest, forced labour or fine in the amount of 40 minimal monthly salaries. The head of FF/LNIM parliamentary group Maris Grinblats argued that the amendments would provide instruments to deal with those who ‘find loopholes in legislation referring to protest actions against the minority education reform organised by the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools. Latvijas Avize

• Saeimas Subcommittee on Social Integration discussed the implementation of the minority education reform
• Chas calls non-citizens to naturalise

Yesterday the Saeima’s Subcommittee on Social Integration discussed the implementation of the minority education reform. According to the information of the State Inspectorate over Education Issues, support for the minority education reform has increased this year. The Inspectorate also reported about state language proficiency of teachers working at Russian-language schools: 546 teachers (out of 802) evaluated their Latvian language skills as fluent, 203 teachers stated that they are able to communicate on education subjects, and 50 admitted that they are able to speak only about their subject.

Yesterday the Saeimas Subcommittee on Social Integration discussed the implementation of the minority education reform. According to the information of the State Inspectorate over Education Issues, support for the minority education reform has increased this year. The Inspectorate also reported about state language proficiency of teachers working at Russian-language schools: 546 teachers (out of 802) evaluated their Latvian language skills as fluent, 203 teachers stated that they are able to communicate on education subjects, and 50 admitted that they are able to speak only about their subject. Latvijas Avize

The Russian language newspaper

The Russian language newspaper Chas features an article about issues, which concern Latvian non-citizens. The author of the article stresses that ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has not solved the main problem, in particular, it does not provide Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections. The newspaper foresees that the state will continue adopting decisions on minority issues without any consultations and dialogue with national minorities. The newspaper states that the implementation of the minority education reform will be continued despite ‘it contradicts the Convention. The newspaper stresses that in this situation naturalisation and more active involvement in Latvias political life are the only possibilities for non-citizens to influence minority policies.

• Diena features an article about the allegedly racially motivated harassment against leader of the Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo
• Interview with the head of the Integration Department of the Ministry of Education and Science Evija Papule
• European Parliament adopts a resolution on minority rights in the enlarged EU
• Russia calls the EU and the OSCE to take measures to convince Latvia to ‘stop implementation of discriminatory policies against Russians and Russian-speakers

Diena features an article about the allegedly racially motivated harassment against leader of the Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo. As reported, the State Police did not initiate a criminal case against perpetrators, because ‘Christopher Ejugbo was not physically attacked. Author of the article Karlis Streips expresses his concern regarding the attitude towards hate crimes at the state level. He is convinced that Latvia should educate representatives of law enforcement institutions to prevent such situations in the future. The journalist also calls all members of society to discuss these issues. The daily also reports that the Riga District Prosecutors Office (Rigas tiesu apgabala prokuratura) will examine whether the polices decision only to inform perpetrators about legal consequences of their behaviour and then release them complies with law. The Prosecutors Office took the decision to examine the case because mass media stated that ‘police did not react adequately. Diena

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the head of the Integration Department of the Ministry of Education and Science Evija Papule about the implementation of the minority education reform. Evija Papule stresses that the ministry fully agrees with the decision of the Constitutional Court on the necessity to establish an institution, which would be responsible for controlling of the quality of education. Evija Papule believes that the ministry will continue to develop a dialogue on minority education issues with representatives of minority non-governmental organisations which are represented in the Advisory Board on Minority Education Issues under the Ministry of Education and Science. According to Papule, no specific study programmes particularly for teachers who want to work in Russian language schools will be developed.

Yesterday the European Parliament adopted a resolution on minority rights in the enlarged EU. After the call of the Latvian MEP Girts Kristovskis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM), the proposals to grant Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections as well as rights to travel within the EU territory without visa was deleted from the document. However, EU member states called Latvia to encourage naturalisation of non-citizens and facilitate the naturalisation procedure.

Yesterday the European Parliament adopted a resolution on minority rights in the enlarged EU. After the call of the Latvian MEP Girts Kristovskis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM), the proposals to grant Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections as well as rights to travel within the EU territory without visa was deleted from the document. However, EU member states called Latvia to encourage naturalisation of non-citizens and facilitate the naturalisation procedure. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday Russia called the EU and the OSCE to take measures to convince Latvia to stop implementation of ‘discriminatory policies against Russians and Russian-speakers in the country.’ Russia criticises Latvia for ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with reservations. Russia claims that the ratified Convention in Latvia provides that non-citizens are not the subjects of the Convention.

Yesterday Russia called the EU and the OSCE to take measures to convince Latvia to stop implementation of ‘discriminatory policies against Russians and Russian-speakers in the country. Russia criticises Latvia for ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with reservations. Russia claims that the ratified Convention in Latvia providesthatnon-citizens are not the subjects of the Convention. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

 

• Newspapers report on the allegedly racially motivated harassment against leader of the Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo
• Latvijas Avize criticises the annual report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

Newspapers report on the allegedly racially motivated harassment against leader of the Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo. According to Ejugbo, last Saturday young people, who were dressed in uniforms with swastika on them, shouted at him offensive and insulting phrases. State Police did not initiate a criminal case, because ‘Christopher Ejugbo’ was not physically attacked. According to the representative of the State Police Aigars Berzins, perpetrators were informed about legal consequences of their deed and then released. Christopher Ejugbo has expressed his incomprehension about the police’s decision. While the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis condemned violence [against representatives of other races] and stated that there is no place for intolerance, racism, and anti-Semitism in Latvia. The Minister believes that racial violence can be prevented through education of society.

Newspapers report on the allegedly racially motivated harassment against leader of the Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo. According to Ejugbo, last Saturday young people, who were dressed in uniforms with swastika on them, shouted at him offensive and insulting phrases. State Police did not initiate a criminal case, because ‘Christopher Ejugbo was not physically attacked. According to the representative of the State Police Aigars Berzins, perpetrators were informed about legal consequences of their deed and then released. Christopher Ejugbo has expressed his incomprehension about the polices decision. While the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis condemned violence [against representatives of other races] and stated that there is no place for intolerance, racism, and anti-Semitism in Latvia. The Minister believes that racial violence can be prevented through education of society. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

Latvijas Avize criticises the annual report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies. The newspaper reproaches the Centre for implementing double standards towards Russian speakers and Latvian nationalists. The newspaper points that the report reproaches only national-radical newspaper DDD for distribution of xenophobic and anti-Semitic statements, while publications in Russian language newspapers, which according to Latvijas Avize incite to national hatred and turn against the state, are present in almost all issues of Russian language newspapers.

• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities could enter into force in October
• Chas features a commentary of Eduard Eldarov on the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia
• The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters agree to consolidate
• Representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Efraim Zuroff sharply criticises attempts to rehabilitate Herberts Cukurs
• Implementation of the minority education reform in Riga Secondary School Nr. 74
• Latvijas Avize reports on the preparation of amendments to the citizenship law

According to a representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, recently ratified by Saeima, could enter into force in Latvia in October.

According to a representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, recently ratified by Saeima, could enter into force in Latvia in October. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Chas features a commentary of Eduard Eldarov on the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia. The journalist foresees that in future the High Commissioner will pay particular attention to the implementation of the principles of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia as well as the extension of non-citizens rights. The journalist also suggests that the High Commissioner also pay attention to issues of rights to free association and assembly in Latvia, pointing to the states aspirations to strengthen the legislation in this area thus ‘strengthening also the pressure on the Russian-speaking opposition. According to the journalist, during the first six months of this year already 140 persons participating at protest meetings were detained and 40 of them were held accountable for administrative violations, compared to last year, when over the 12 months 40 persons were detained and 14 were found in breech of administrative provisions.

The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the People’s Harmony Party – have approved plans to merge into one political union.

The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the Peoples Harmony Party – have approved plans to merge into one political union. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf

Diena prints an article by the representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Efraim Zuroff, in which he sharply criticises the attempts by radical nationalist groupings in Latvia to rehabilitate Herberts Cukurs as a Latvian hero and famous pilot, although it has been documented that he participated in the Holocaust during World War II. Zuroff stresses that testimonies about the participation of Cukurs in crimes against humanity are available in the archives of Israel.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about the implementation of the minority education reform in Riga Secondary School Nr. 74. Students of grade 10, interviewed by the newspaper, point to difficulties in learning humanitarian as well as science subjects in Latvian. The director of the school Irina Frolova states that the amount of work for teachers and students has doubled over the last school year due to the implementation of the reform. According to her, there would not be problems in the area of implementation of the minority education reform if the minority schools were allowed to teach 10th grade students bilingually.

Latvijas Avize reports that the amendments to the Law on Citizenship, which are being prepared under the auspices of the Justice Ministry, with the participation of the Head of Naturalization Department and representatives of various state institutions, may be ready for presentation to the Justice Minister on 20 June. The newspaper also features the opinions of a translator and citizen of Germany living in Latvia Matias Knoll and the journalist, citizen both of the USA and Latvia Karlis Streips. Matias Knoll believes that many persons applying for Latvian citizenship now have a very weak sense of belonging to the state and many are motivated to naturalize only by the advantages provided to Latvian citizens in the EU. Karlis Streips that preventing the naturalisation of non-citizens should not be on the agenda as ‘there is no reason to believe that yesterdays non-citizens tomorrow will run to vote for Alfreds Rubiks [the leader of Latvias Socialist Party]. Referring to the case of Jurijs Petropavlosvkis, who was denied citizenship despite having fulfilled all legally defined requirements for naturalization, the journalist also points to the necessity to provide a legal basis for denying citizenship by possibly defining in the law which persons are prohibited to get Latvian citizenship.