Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Riga City Council is collecting statistical information about non-citizens working in schools
• Russian newspapers about the celebration of Tatyana Day
• Russian-speaking inhabitants of Estonia will receive compensation after successful state language examination

Telegraf has received information from a teacher in one of Rigas Russian-language schools that the Education Department of the Riga City Council is collecting information about the number of non-citizens or citizens of other countries working in the schools. This information was requested by Alexander Gilman, deputy of the Riga City Council, FHRUL. Mr Gilman explained that after the announcement made by the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK that non-citizens should not be allowed to work as directors or teachers he wanted to find out how many persons will potentially lose their jobs. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Russian newspapers inform about the celebration of the Tatyana Day – day of the Russian culture and education in Latvia. The organizers of the celebration activities --  Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LASHOR) --  emphasized that their attitude towards integration is very serious and therefore they have invited all the Latvian schools to join the celebration as well.

Russian newspapers inform about the celebration of the Tatyana Day – day of the Russian culture and education in Latvia. The organizers of the celebration activities -- Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LASHOR) -- emphasized that their attitude towards integration is very serious and therefore they have invited all the Latvian schools to join the celebration as well. Telegraf, Vecernaya Riga, Vesti segodnya, Chas

The Estonian government has adopted a decision that those Russian-speaking inhabitants of Estonia who have successfully passed the state language examination will receive compensation for language training expenses up to the maximum amount of approximately 250 USD. Half of the money will be provided from Phare funds and the other half from the state budget.

The Estonian government has adopted a decision that those Russian-speaking inhabitants of Estonia who have successfully passed the state language examination will receive compensation for language training expenses up to the maximum amount of approximately 250 USD. Half of the money will be provided from Phare funds and the other half from the state budget. Vesti segodnya, Chas

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• President of European Commission Romano Prodi accepts the candidature of Latvian Commissioner to European Commission
• Latvian Socialist party is planning to dispute the results of the EU accession referendum
• Draft resolution of European Parliament calls on Russia to sign the border agreement with Latvia
• Critique of statements on education reform by Head of Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane
• Simon Wiesenthal Centre will double reward for persons providing information about Nazi crimes in Latvia
• Discussion on societal integration

The President of European Commission Romano Prodi has accepted the candidature of Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Sandra Kalniete as candidate for the position of Commissioner of European Commission from Latvia.

The President of European Commission Romano Prodi has accepted the candidature of Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Sandra Kalniete as candidate for the position of Commissioner of European Commission from Latvia. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

The Latvian Socialist Party has prepared documentation to submit to the Constitutional Court challenging the EU accession referendum. According to the leader of the party Alfreds Rubiks the referendum was illegitimate because the 22% of permanent residents of Latvia who are non-citizens were not allowed to participate in the referendum.

The Latvian Socialist Party has prepared documentation to submit to the Constitutional Court challenging the EU accession referendum. According to the leader of the party Alfreds Rubiks the referendum was illegitimate because the 22% of permanent residents of Latvia who are non-citizens were not allowed to participate in the referendum. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Chas

The European Parliament is planning to adopt a resolution calling on Russia to sign the border agreement with Latvia and to distribute the treaty on collaboration between Russia and the European Union to the new member states of the EU.

The European Parliament is planning to adopt a resolution calling on Russia to sign the border agreement with Latvia and to distribute the treaty on collaboration between Russia and the European Union to the new member states of the EU. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Vesti Segodnya features an article by Nikolay Kabanov, MP and journalist, criticizing statements by the Head of Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane that the protest actions against education reform 2004 will finish on the 1st of September when the transition to the partial instruction on Latvian language will be implemented. The author believes that the protest actions will continue.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre representative Efraim Zuroff said that the centre is planning to double the reward to USD 20,000 for the providing of information about Nazi crimes in Latvia, if this information leads to the initiating of criminal case against a suspect.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre representative Efraim Zuroff said that the centre is planning to double the reward to USD 20,000 for the providing of information about Nazi crimes in Latvia, if this information leads to the initiating of criminal case against a suspect. Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya reports on a discussion on societal integration organized by the Red Cross of Latvia.

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Security Police suggests there may be administrative sanctions for the organizing of unlicensed protests actions against education reform
• Interview with General Secretary of the party New Era Grigorij Krupnikov
• President Vaira Vike-Freiberga about Orthodox Christian Christmas as state holiday
• Schools of Latvia receive text books and teaching aids from Russia

The Security Police of Latvia has asked the Riga Municipal Policy to evaluate whether the representative of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Schools Juriy Petropavlovsky could be subject to administrative sanctions. The Security Police states that Juriy Petropavlovsky has last year twice violated the law “On meetings, walks and pickets” by organizing a demonstration of students during the visit of the Council of Europe First Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gill–Robles to Riga and a strike at a Riga Russian-language school in order to protest against the education reform 2004.

The Security Police of Latvia has asked the Riga Municipal Policy to evaluate whether the representative of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Schools Juriy Petropavlovsky could be subject to administrative sanctions. The Security Police states that Juriy Petropavlovsky has last year twice violated the law On meetings, walks and pickets by organizing a demonstration of students during the visit of the Council of Europe First Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gill–Robles to Riga and a strike at a Riga Russian-language school in order to protest against the education reform 2004. Chas

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the New Era Secretary General Grigorij Krupnikov. Touching on integration issues, Mr Krupnikov expresses the view that it is time to stop the division of political parties in Latvia along ethnic lines and to automatically see parties with Russian-speakers as left wing parties. The New Era politician also supports the necessity of the education reform, stressing that knowing Latvian at a high level is essential for youth in Latvia.

The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has no objections to the declaring of Orthodox Christian Christmas as an official holiday, reports her press secretary.

The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has no objections to the declaring of Orthodox Christian Christmas as an official holiday, reports her press secretary. Telegraf

Schools of Latvia have received a donation from Russia of 10,500 text books and teaching aids.

Schools of Latvia have received a donation from Russia of 10,500 text books and teaching aids. Latvijas Avize

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Report of the European Parliament Deputy Elisabeth Schroedter about the observation of minority rights in Latvia
• Eizenija Aldermane on citizenship for schoolteachers
• Orthodox believers of Latvia celebrate Christmas
• Interview with the Head of the Department of Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science Evija Papule
• Increasing number of naturalization applications

European Parliament Deputy from Germany Elisabeth Schroedter points to the indisposition of Latvian government to solve the problem of Russian speakers’ integration effectively in the report based on her visit to Latvia last month. Elizabeth Schroedter mentions the slow pace of naturalization and calls to consider the linguistic rights of Russian speaking minority during the process of inauguration of the education reform.

European Parliament Deputy from Germany Elisabeth Schroedter points to the indisposition of Latvian government to solve the problem of Russian speakers integration effectively in the report based on her visit to Latvia last month. Elizabeth Schroedter mentions the slow pace of naturalization and calls to consider the linguistic rights of Russian speaking minority during the process of inauguration of the education reform. Vesti Segodnya

The Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane comments on For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM proposal to ban the schoolteacher's profession for non-citizens in her interview to

The Head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane comments on For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM proposal to ban the schoolteacher's profession for non-citizens in her interview to Latvijas Avize. According to Aldermane, although the FFF/LNIM statement is a purely political statement, it is right in its essence. At the same time, Aldermane does not consider the one-year introduction period, suggested by FFF/LNIM, as a plausible solution, because within a year the goal can only be reached using repressive methods, in which she does not believe. She also says that if the number of professions banned for the non-citizens was increased, it would immediately become a human rights issue and might cause a lot of trouble. Aldermane is also against granting the voting rights to non-citizens during the municipal elections, because, according to her, if they want to vote, they should first naturalize, and then participate not only in the municipal elections, butin the Parliament elections as well.

Today Orthodox believers of Latvia celebrate Christmas. According to the Synod of the Orthodox Church, there are about 35 thousand Orthodox believers in Latvia.

Today Orthodox believers of Latvia celebrate Christmas. According to the Synod of the Orthodox Church, there are about 35 thousand Orthodox believers in Latvia. Diena, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

Chas features an interview with the Head of the Department of Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science Evija Papule about the oncoming education reform 2004. The official believes that 60 – 70% of minority schools teachers are ready to teach their subjects in Latvian.

In the period from October to December last year, the number of applications received by the Naturalization Board is approximately 60% higher than during the same period in the year 2002.

In the period from October to December last year, the number of applications received by the Naturalization Board is approximately 60% higher than during the same period in the year 2002. Vesti Segodnya