• Two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters could unite in the near future
• Telegraf reports on visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus

Two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the People’s Harmony Party – could merge in the near future. The board of the New Centre has already supported the idea of consolidation, while the People’s Harmony Party is planning to make a decision on the issue today. The new formation promises to base their activities on harmony and integration ideas instead of ethnic divisions.

Two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the Peoples Harmony Party – could merge in the near future. The board of the New Centre has already supported the idea of consolidation, while the Peoples Harmony Party is planning to make a decision on the issue today. The new formation promises to base their activities on harmony and integration ideas instead of ethnic divisions. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Telegraf reports on the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia.

• Rolf Ekeus: the rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to so-called new minorities or immigrants
• Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij expresses concern about the reservations made to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Opinion poll about the implementation of minority education reform
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about the human rights problems highlighted in the Annual Report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
• Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee reviews the amendments to the Immigration Law
• An interview with Sergei Markov, member of the Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights attached to the President of Russia and the director of the Institute for Political Studies

‘The rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to the so-called new minorities or immigrants,’ stated the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus during his meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. The High Commissioner also stressed the necessity to grant the Latvian citizenship automatically to children, born in the non-citizens’ families. According to

‘The rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to the so-called new minorities or immigrants, stated the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus during his meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. The High Commissioner also stressed the necessity to grant the Latvian citizenship automatically to children, born in the non-citizens families. According to Vesti Segodnya, Ekeus has pointed to the necessity to involve minority representatives in the political decision-making process concerning national minorities, mentioning the inclusion of minority representatives in the working group preparing amendments to the Citizenship Law as one of the examples of such involvement. Diena informs that Ekeus has also had a meeting with the Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij has expressed concern about the reservations made by Latvia to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which, according to the ambassador, will squeeze out the Russian language from public sphere.

Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij has expressed concern about the reservations made by Latvia to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which, according to the ambassador, will squeeze out the Russian language from public sphere. Chas

The opinion poll, conducted by the Education State Inspection, indicates that the implementation of the minority education reform is generally passing successfully. At the same time the inspection points to several problems in this area, among them, poor Latvian language proficiency of teachers and the negative attitude of students and their parents towards the reform. According to the poll, 20% of 9th grade students and 30% of 10th grade students believe that they do not need to study in Latvian to be able to continue their studies or to get a good job. Only 30% of the 9th grade students have stated that they are ready to study in Latvian. According to the assessment by minority school directors the Latvian language proficiency of teachers is poor. According to the information of the inspection, 70% of teachers have good Latvian language proficiency, while 25% can communicate in Latvian only about the themes of their subject. At the same time, 50% of 10th grade students believe that the Latvian language proficiency of their teachers is good.

The opinion poll, conducted by the Education State Inspection, indicates that the implementation of the minority education reform is generally passing successfully. At the same time the inspection points to several problems in this area, among them, poor Latvian language proficiency of teachers and the negative attitude of students and their parents towards the reform. According to the poll, 20% of 9th grade students and 30% of 10th grade students believe that they do not need to study in Latvian to be able to continue their studies or to get a good job. Only 30% of the 9th grade students have stated that they are ready to study in Latvian. According to the assessment by minority school directors the Latvian language proficiency of teachers is poor. According to the information of the inspection, 70% of teachers have good Latvian language proficiency, while 25% can communicate in Latvian only about the themes of their subject. At the same time, 50% of 10th grade students believe that the Latvian language proficiency of their teachers is good. Chas

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the human rights problems, highlighted in the Annual Report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies. The newspaper voices a critical attitude towards concerns raised by the Centres director Ilze Brands Kehris regarding freedom of association and peaceful assembly association, including meetings of Members of Parliament with the electorate. Brands Kehris questions whether there is a tendency by the legislator to amend legislation in response to one event without giving consideration whether the move will not restrict fundamental freedoms. In turn, the newspaper implicitly justifies aspirations of the legislator stressing that the discussion on the need to restrict the possibilities to organise public meetings evolved when ‘the defenders of Russian-language schools circumvented the legislation and organised scandalous provocations near the Monument of Freedom on 16 March and 4 May. Brands Kehris also criticises the refusal by the Latvian government to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis Latvian citizenship, evaluating this decision as a precedent when the executive power has interfered with the administrative process. When commenting on positive aspects of the integration process, Brands Kehris mentions the increasing number of naturalised persons.

Yesterday Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee started to repeatedly review the amendments to the Immigration Law. As reported, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the amendments to the Immigration Law to Saeima. The amendments stipulated that foreigners who apply for permanent residence permits in Latvia should submit a declaration of loyalty towards Latvia and promise to respect the Latvian culture and traditions as well as pass a Latvian language proficiency exam. The Ministry of Justice now proposes to soften the declaration stipulating that immigrants should only promise to learn Latvian language. The ministry also suggests including a provision in the law that the state provides a possibility for foreigners to acquire Latvian language, traditions and culture.

Yesterday Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee started to repeatedly review the amendments to the Immigration Law. As reported, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the amendments to the Immigration Law to Saeima. The amendments stipulated that foreigners who apply for permanent residence permits in Latvia should submit a declaration of loyalty towards Latvia and promise to respect the Latvian culture and traditions as well as pass a Latvian language proficiency exam. The Ministry of Justice now proposes to soften the declaration stipulating that immigrants should only promise to learn Latvian language. The ministry also suggests including a provision in the law that the state provides a possibility for foreigners to acquire Latvian language, traditions and culture. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with Sergei Markov, the member of the Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights at the President of Russia and the director of the Institute for Political Studies. Markov sharply criticises the society integration policy of Latvia evaluating it as a ‘cultural genocide against the Russian-speakers. According to Markov, the rights of Russian-speakers to use their language as well as to receive quality education in their mother tongue and to participate in political and public life of the society are being breached. Markov believes that the reservations made by the Latvian government to the Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities are the culmination of the genocide, because the non-citizens as well as naturalised persons, who have not resided in Latvia for several generations, are excluded from minority definition. According to Sergei Markov, at present he and his colleagues are planning to establish a Council for the Protection of Russian-Speakers in Latvia to change the public opinion of Russians and Europeans regarding the society integration policy in Latvia.

• OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus welcomes ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia
• Latvia develops a draft law, including the requirements of the Council of Europe directive concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents

Yesterday the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus expressed his approval ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia. The High Commissioner also expressed his approval for the provision, which stipulates that also non-citizens, which according to the adopted national minority definition are not the subjects of the Convention, may enjoy the rights, which are granted to national minorities under the Convention. However, the HC refrained from commenting about introduction of the reservations. When asked to comment on the implementation of the minority education reform, the Commissioner stressed that the reform should be implemented flexibly.

Yesterday the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus expressed his approval ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia. The High Commissioner also expressed his approval for the provision, which stipulates that also non-citizens, which according to the adopted national minority definition are not the subjects of the Convention, may enjoy the rights, which are granted to national minorities under the Convention. However, the HC refrained from commenting about introduction of the reservations. When asked to comment on the implementation of the minority education reform, the Commissioner stressed that the reform should be implemented flexibly. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvia has developed a draft law on the acquisition of the status of a EU permanent resident. The new draft law includes the requirements of the Council of Europe Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents. The deputy chairperson of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs Maira Roze explained that the effective Immigration Law does not deal with the requirements of the Directive completely, therefore a new draft law which provides a procedure how third-country nationals who reside in Latvia can receive the status of a permanent resident of the European Union had to be developed. According to

Latvia has developed a draft law on the acquisition of the status of a EU permanent resident. The new draft law includes the requirements of the Council of Europe Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents. The deputy chairperson of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs Maira Roze explained that the effective Immigration Law does not deal with the requirements of the Directive completely, therefore a new draft law which provides a procedure how third-country nationals who reside in Latvia can receive the status of a permanent resident of the European Union had to be developed. According to Neatkariga Rita Avize, the draft law says that the status of a EU permanent resident may be granted to a Latvian non-citizen, who reside in Latvia permanently for five years and have regular and stable income. Neatkariga Rita Avize

• The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Ralf Ekeus visits Latvia
• Newspapers report on a public hearing in the case of Tatjana Zdanoka vs. Latvia at the European Court of Human Rights
• Telegraf continues discussion about the recent prohibition for local students to study in Russian at the Riga Technical University
• Naturalisation Board warns non-citizens not to trust an internet advertisement offering help with the naturalisation process

Today the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Ralf Ekeus visits Latvia. In a phone interview to

Today the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Ralf Ekeus visits Latvia. In a phone interview to Diena he stressed that recent ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities is only a part of his visits agenda. The high commissioner is planning to meet with the foreign affairs minister, the special assignments minister for social integration, and the head of the Naturalisation Board. He will also visit the Riga Classical Gymnasium in order to evaluate implementation of the minority education reform. Diena, Chas

Newspapers report on the Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Tatjana Zdanoka vs. Latvia held at the European Court of Human Rights yesterday.

Newspapers report on the Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Tatjana Zdanoka vs.Latvia held at the European Court of Human Rights yesterday. Diena informs that Zdanokas lawyer characterised prohibitions for persons, who were members of the Communist Party after the 13 January 1991, to stand for elections in Latvia, as illegitimate and disproportional. According to the lawyer, the goal of these prohibitions was ‘to get rid of political opponents, and Tatjana Zdanoka, ‘whose only crime is being a leader of the Russian-speaking community, was one of them. The representative of the Latvian Government to the International Human Rights Organisations Inga Reine tried to defend the states position, explaining the historical context, as well as stressing that the state itself is more capable of assessing the necessity of prohibition than an international court. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Telegraf continues to discuss prohibitions for local students to study in the Russian language at the Riga Technical University. The newspaper criticises intention of the Ministry of Education and Science to propose amendments to the Law on Institutions of Higher Education, which would stipulate that only foreign nationals have a right to study in foreign languages at Latvian state universities. The MP and human rights expert Boris Cilevics believes such a norm would be discriminatory against the Russian-speaking residents of Latvia.

Naturalisation Board warns Latvian non-citizens not to trust an internet advertisement which offers help with the naturalisation process. According to the Naturalisation Board, those who are willing to naturalise should apply to the regional departments of the Board. As reported, the advertisement posted on the website

Naturalisation Board warns Latvian non-citizens not to trust an internet advertisement which offers help with the naturalisation process. According to the Naturalisation Board, those who are willing to naturalise should apply to the regional departments of the Board. As reported, the advertisement posted on the website www.ss.lv promises to ‘speed up the naturalisation process for a fee of Ls340. Telegraf

• District Prosecutors Office of Riga Court brings charges against twomembers of the national radical organisation Latvian National Front

The District Prosecutor’s Office of Riga Court has brought charges against two journalists Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa, members of the national radical organisation Latvian National Front, for incitement of national hatred. In the article, published by the national radical newspaper

The District Prosecutors Office of Riga Court has brought charges against two journalists Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa, members of the national radical organisation Latvian National Front, for incitement of national hatred. In the article, published by the national radical newspaper DDD, the columnists called to deport several MPs of the so-called Russian parties – Boris Cilevics, Jakovs Pliners and Tatjana Zdanoka - and used offensive language. The advocate of the journalists Ilze Krastina evaluates the initiated case as an attempt to restrict the freedom of speech. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf