• Left-wing politicians challenge the Law on Education
• Member of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Boris Tsilevitch will survey CoE member states that have not ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Union For Human Rights in the United Latvia launches a campaign ‘FHRUL does the job of the Central Election Commission

20 MPs of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, the People’s Harmony Party and the Latvian Socialist Party signed a petition and filed it with the Constitutional Court. MPs call the court to recognise a norm, which stipulates the prohibition on state and municipalities to finance private schools that provide education in foreign languages, in breach with the Constitution of Latvia and international norms. The MPs believe that the effective norm discriminates against private schools, which provide education in minority languages.

20 MPs of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, the Peoples Harmony Party and the Latvian Socialist Party signed a petition and filed it with the Constitutional Court. MPs call the court to recognise a norm, which stipulates the prohibition on state and municipalities to finance private schools that provide education in foreign languages, in breach with the Constitution of Latvia and international norms. The MPs believe that the effective norm discriminates against private schools, which provide education in minority languages. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The member of Saeima and the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Boris Tsilevitch (the People’s Harmony Party) will survey those CoE member states that have not ratified a Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The goal of the survey is to find out reasons for non-ratification of the Convention. Boris Tsilevitch will use this information in his rapport. As reported, Boris Tsilevitch is nominated a key rapporteur on the implementation of ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in a number of European countries.

The member of Saeima and the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Boris Tsilevitch (the Peoples Harmony Party) will survey those CoE member states that have not ratified a Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The goal of the survey is to find out reasons for non-ratification of the Convention. Boris Tsilevitch will use this information in his rapport. As reported, Boris Tsilevitch is nominated a key rapporteur on the implementation of ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in a number of European countries. Latvijas Avize

Responding to the decision of the Head of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars to stop a broadcast of municipal election campaign’s clips which provide information about voting procedure in the Russian language, the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) has launched a public awareness campaign ‘FHRUL does the job of the Central Election Commission.’ According to representatives of the union, approximately 30 persons have already received information about the voting procedure. The majority are interested in possibilities of Latvian non-citizens to participate in the forthcoming municipal elections.

Responding to the decision of the Head of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars to stop a broadcast of municipal election campaigns clips which provide information about voting procedure in the Russian language, the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) has launched a public awareness campaign ‘FHRUL does the job of the Central Election Commission. According to representatives of the union, approximately 30 persons have already received information about the voting procedure. The majority are interested in possibilities of Latvian non-citizens to participate in the forthcoming municipal elections. Chas

• Conference on social integration issues
• Round-table discussions on the implementation of the minority education reform in Jelgava
• Experience of the Tukums minority secondary school No 3 in the implementation of the education reform
• Vesti Segodnya writes about weekly courses for non-citizens on naturalisation and civil rights
• New video clip against the education reform will be produced
• Vesti Segodnya reports on the award ceremony of the competition, organised by the LASHOR in the framework of the Russian Culture Days

Last Friday the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party (LSDLP) organised a conference on social integration issues. LSDLP reproached other parties for excluding non-Latvians from power-sharing process and argued that the LSDLP has contributed to social integration by involving ethnic minorities in activities of Riga City Council. The former Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Nils Muiznieks also took part in the conference and stated that there is no necessity to amend the Citizenship Law to speed up naturalisation in Latvia. The former minister also noted that Latvian language learning should not be only a responsibility of non-citizens, but also the state should have some responsibility, in particular allocate funding for organising courses.

Last Friday the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party (LSDLP) organised a conference on social integration issues. LSDLP reproached other parties for excluding non-Latvians from power-sharing process and argued that the LSDLP has contributed to social integration by involving ethnic minorities in activities of Riga City Council. The former Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Nils Muiznieks also took part in the conference and stated that there is no necessity to amend the Citizenship Law to speed up naturalisation in Latvia. The former minister also noted that Latvian language learning should not be only a responsibility of non-citizens, but also the state should have some responsibility, in particular allocate funding for organising courses. Latvijas Avize

Russian-language newspapers feature articles about the round-table discussion on the implementation of the minority education reform in Jelgava, organised by the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia and the Russian society

Russian-language newspapers feature articles about the round-table discussion on the implementation of the minority education reform in Jelgava, organised by the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia and the Russian society Veche. Teachers and politicians, who took part in the discussions, pointed out that minority students have big difficulties to understand subjects taught in Latvian. One of participants stated that ‘students are complaining of headache and many of them have lost interest towards learning. However, a number of parents noted that their children are doing well. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Latvijas Avize features an article about the implementation of the education reform in the Tukums minority secondary school No 3. According to the director of the school Eriks Lukmans, students and their parents accept the reform although there are several problems in its implementation. The director says that ‘for example, new biology textbooks for 10th grade in the Latvian language were promised a long time ago, however, they are not published yet. He adds that in this case students use textbooks in Russian although the curriculum stipulates that biology in the 10th grade should be taught in Latvian. 354 students – Ukrainians, Belorussians, Roma, as well as Latvians study at this school.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about weekly courses for non-citizens on naturalisation and civil rights. The courses are provided by the NGO ‘Civic Initiative XXI. The courses provide information about the history of minorities in Latvia, as well as citizen rights and EU legislation.

Approximately 17 representatives of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools led by Genadijs Kotovs, who is running for post of mayor of Riga City Council in municipal elections, assembled near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis to express their negative attitude towards the education reform and produce a video clip.

Approximately 17 representatives of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools led by Genadijs Kotovs, who is running for post of mayor of Riga City Council in municipal elections, assembled near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis to express their negative attitude towards the education reform and produce a video clip. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports on the award ceremony of the competition, organised by the Latvian Association for Support of Russian-language Schools in the framework of the Russian Culture Days. The Russian students submitted essays about histories of their families.

• Aigars Kalvitis: Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities could be ratified in the first six months this year
• Chas writes about difficulties of the lecturer Amad Kulibali from Africa to naturalise
• Administrative District Court cancels a ruling in the case of activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis

In his interview with the National Radio the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis stated that ‘the Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities could be ratified in the first 6 months this year.’ According to the Prime Minister, there will be reservations concerning the usage of minority languages in communications with municipalities and street signs.

In his interview with the National Radio the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis stated that ‘the Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities could be ratified in the first 6 months this year. According to the Prime Minister, there will be reservations concerning the usage of minority languages in communications with municipalities and street signs. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas

Chas writes about difficulties of lecturer Amad Kulibali from Africa to naturalise. The Naturalisation Board refused to accept his naturalisation application stating that Amad Kulibali can apply for Latvian citizenship only after five years since he has received the permanent resident permit. Amad Kulibali arrived in Latvia as an exchange programme participant in 1989, however, only in 1997 he applied for a short-term residence permit and was registered in the Population Register. He obtained the permanent residence permit in 2002. Amad Kulibali expresses his incomprehension about the refusal of the Naturalisation Board to accept his naturalisation application and points to Article 12 of the Citizenship Law, which stipulates that ‘persons who are registered in the Population Register and whose permanent place of residence, as of the day of submission an application for naturalisation, has been in Latvia for not less than five years calculated from 4 May 1990, may be admitted to Latvian citizenship through naturalisation procedures and that ‘for persons who arrived in Latvia after 1 July 1992, the five-year period shall be calculated from the moment a permanent residence permit is obtained.

Yesterday the Administrative District Court cancelled the ruling issued by the Riga Vidzeme Court, which imposed the fine of LVL 100 (EUR 143) on the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis for organising the protest actions against the education reform.

Yesterday the Administrative District Court cancelled the ruling issued by the Riga Vidzeme Court, which imposed the fine of LVL100 (EUR 143) on the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis for organising the protest actions against the education reform. Chas

• Rector of the Riga Stradins University Janis Vetra: minority students have difficulties to study in Latvian
• Russian President agrees to annul the Molotov-Ribentrop pact
• Saeima refuses to adopt a resolution condemning the statements of the Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation of minorities in Latvia
• Diena writes about the claim of Tatjana Zdanoka to the Petition Committee of the European Parliament regarding the decision of the Latvian government to refuse Latvian citizenship to Jurijs Petropavlovskis
• Liepaja Symphony Orchestra will introduce non-Latvian youth with Latvian classical music

Janis Vetra, the rector of the Riga Stradins University stated that due to the low level of Latvian language proficiency minority students have difficulties to study in Latvian at university. The Russian-language newspaper

Janis Vetra, the rector of the Riga Stradins University stated that due to the low level of Latvian language proficiency minority students have difficulties to study in Latvian at university. The Russian-language newspaper Vesti Segodnya argues that the situation is the consequences of the minority education reform. The newspaper writes that minority school teachers have given unreasonably high grades for pupils Latvian language skills. Vesti Segodnya disagrees with the proposal of the rector to include minority students in study groups of international students so they would acquire Latvian. The newspaper believes that parents should file a petition against the implementers of the reformers, because they have not managed to ensure a qualitative system of Latvian language learning for minority students. Vesti Segodnya

After the meeting with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, the President of Estonia Arnold Ruutel announced that the Russian President agreed to annul the Molotov-Ribentrop Pact.  The Estonian’s President statement, however, contradicts yesterday’s official response of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry to the declaration of the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga. In its response the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister noted that ‘there is neither historical nor international legal basis for the statement made by the Latvian President that Soviet Union occupied Latvia in 1940.’ Historians and international affairs experts, interviewed by

After the meeting with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, the President of Estonia Arnold Ruutel announced that the Russian President agreed to annul the Molotov-Ribentrop Pact. The Estonians President statement, however, contradicts yesterdays official response of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry to the declaration of the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga. In its response the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister noted that ‘there is neither historical nor international legal basis for the statement made by the Latvian President that Soviet Union occupied Latvia in 1940. Historians and international affairs experts, interviewed by Diena, note that it is not possible annul events, which took place in the past. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday Saeima refused a resolution developed by the party New Era. The resolution condemned the statements of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that the number of Russian-speakers who work at Latvian state authorities should be proportional to their total number in the country. The resolution stated that the Putin’s statements are an intervention in Latvia’s domestic affairs

Yesterday Saeima refused a resolution developed by the party New Era. The resolution condemned the statements of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that the number of Russian-speakers who work at Latvian state authorities should be proportional to their total number in the country. The resolution stated that the Putins statements are an intervention in Latvias domestic affairs Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Diena criticizes the member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) for not providing full information to her supporters in Latvia regarding possible reaction of the Petition Committee of the European Parliament to the case of Jurijs Petropavlovskis. The Commission received the complaint of Tatajana Zdanoka about the refusal of the Latvian government to grant the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis Latvian citizenship. Tatjana Zdanoka claims that the Commission may ‘adopt the set of measures to deal with this discrimination. If Latvian authorities do not respond timely, Latvia risks to lose its voting rights in the EU Council. Diena argues that there are no such precedents and it is a scenario of science fiction movie. Also the Vice-chairman of the Petition Committee Michael Cashman states that Tatyana Zdanoka either does not understand competences of the Committee or tries to gain personal political benefits.

The Liepaja Symphony Orchestra will have four concerts of Latvian music organised specifically for non-Latvian youth to introduce them with Latvian culture.  It is also planned to publish a CD with the most popular Latvian classical music and distribute these CDs to minority schools. Concerts and production of CDs, which is a part of the project ‘Integration of Non-Latvian Youth in Latvian Musical Culture,’ are financially supported by the Integration Foundation within EU PHARE programme.

The Liepaja Symphony Orchestra will have four concerts of Latvian music organised specifically for non-Latvian youth to introduce them with Latvian culture. It is also planned to publish a CD with the most popular Latvian classical music and distribute these CDs to minority schools. Concerts and production of CDs, which is a part of the project ‘Integration of Non-Latvian Youth in Latvian Musical Culture, are financially supported by the Integration Foundation within EU PHARE programme. Diena

• Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov believes that border agreement with Latvia could be signed on 10 May
• Latvia State Archive publishes a collection of 130 documents ‘Migrants in Latvia 1944 – 1989. Documents.
• Excerpts from essays which took part in the essay contest on the minority education reform

In his press conference the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the border agreement with Latvia could be signed on 10 May in Moscow. Sergey Lavrov also notes that the political declaration, prepared by Russia, should be signed together with the border agreement. The political declaration, developed by Russia, also deals with observation of the rights of Russian speakers in the Baltic States.

In his press conference the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the border agreement with Latvia could be signed on 10 May in Moscow. Sergey Lavrov also notes that the political declaration, prepared by Russia, should be signed together with the border agreement. The political declaration, developed by Russia, also deals with observation of the rights of Russian speakers in the Baltic States. Chas features an interview with Sergey Lavrov. Latvijas Avize, Diena, Chas, Telegraf

The Latvian State Archive has published a collection of 130 documents ‘Migrants in Latvia 1944 – 1989. Documents.’ The publication is financially supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation and the organisation ‘Daugavas Vanagi.’

The Latvian State Archive has published a collection of 130 documents ‘Migrants in Latvia 1944 – 1989. Documents. The publication is financially supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation and the organisation ‘Daugavas Vanagi. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya features views of participants of the essay competition on the minority education reform organised by the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools and the Latvian Human Rights Committee. 10th grade student from the private Russian-language school Evrika Maksim Gremeniuk believes that there is a very small chance that students who have been the subjects of the minority education reform will enter public universities. He argues that these students will have a good command in the Latvian language but will not have knowledge of subjects. Another student believes that extra classes of the Latvian language, as well as common activities for both Russian and Latvian students would be more effective than the minority education reform.