• Ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: the top priority of the Presidents agenda
• FHRUL continues protest actions against the minority education reform
• FHRUL develops amendments to the Law on Education which provides a free choice of the language of instruction
• Integration Minister meets the Head of the Association of National Cultural Organisations
• Vesti Segodnya comments on an article about immigrants
• FHRUL the most popular party in Riga
• Latvian President will take part in the celebrations of the victory in World War II in Moscow

Yesterday the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga held a press conference. The President stated that in 2005 there are two topical issues in her agenda: signing of the border agreement with Russia and ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The President believes that ratification of the Convention is feasible in 2005.

Yesterday the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga held a press conference. The President stated that in 2005 there are two topical issues in her agenda: signing of the border agreement with Russia and ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The President believes that ratification of the Convention is feasible in 2005. Latvijas Avize

Chas reports that in the forthcoming weeks the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia will launch the collection of signatures concerning the incompliance of the minority education reform with international norms. The Party also plans to challenge the Law on Education at the Constitutional Court once again. FHRUL argues that the level of students academic success has significantly dropped since the implementation of the reform. Vesti Segodnya

The union FHRUL has developed amendments to the Law on Education. The new amendments provide a possibility for schools to choose the language of instruction.

The union FHRUL has developed amendments to the Law on Education. The new amendments provide a possibility for schools to choose the language of instruction. Diena

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis met the Head of the Association of National Cultural Organisations Rafi Haradzanjan.

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis met the Head of the Association of National Cultural Organisations Rafi Haradzanjan. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reprints excerpts of the article about attitude of Latvian residents towards immigrants published in the public policy portal www.politika.lv. The author of the study Sigita Zankovska-Odina notes that Latvians (32 per cent) are less concerned about the possible influx of immigrants than Russian-speakers (39 per cent) are. Sigita Zankovska-Odina argues that Latvians are concerned because of their past experience with Soviet immigrants, while Russians are concerned because they are afraid of loosing jobs. The newspaper concludes that the author of research sees less threat in the influx of immigrants than in Russians who live here.

According to the latest opinion poll conducted by the company ‘Latvijas Fakti’ the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia is the most popular party in Riga, followed by the right-wing party New Era, while the third most popular party is the Latvian Social Democrats and Workers Party.

According to the latest opinion poll conducted by the company ‘Latvijas Fakti the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia is the most popular party in Riga, followed by the right-wing party New Era, while the third most popular party is the Latvian Social Democrats and Workers Party. Diena, Rigas Balss, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

President Vaira Vike-Freiberga announced that she would participate in the May 9 events in Moscow. The President said that ‘she, as leader of an independent democratic country, must be everywhere where European leaders go. Such situations as the conferences in Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam, where the destiny of Latvia was decided without Latvia's participation, must not occur ever again.’ The President has also developed a declaration in English for the international community which comments what means the victory in World War II for Latvia.

President Vaira Vike-Freiberga announced that she would participate in the May 9 events in Moscow. The President said that ‘she, as leader of an independent democratic country, must be everywhere where European leaders go. Such situations as the conferences in Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam, where the destiny of Latvia was decided without Latvia's participation, must not occur ever again. The President has also developed a declaration in English for the international community which comments what means the victory in World War II for Latvia. Diena, NRA, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

 

• Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration presents a brief analysis of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities to the Latvian President
• Latvijas Avize investigates a case of a teacher who calls students to protest against the education reform
• New Era calls the Russian President to sign a border agreement before 9 May
• Overview of projects funded by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration
• Residents of Riga change their ethnicity for Latvians, Jews and Germans
• Russians in Liepaja celebrate Orthodox Christmas and formation of the Russian Community

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis presented a brief analysis of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities to the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. The analysis includes the compilation of practices of the implementation of the Convention in other countries and analysis of articles of the Convention. The Minister stated that a detailed analysis of all articles of the Convention will be conducted in a month and a half.

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis presented a brief analysis of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities to the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. The analysis includes the compilation of practices of the implementation of the Convention in other countries and analysis of articles of the Convention. The Minister stated that a detailed analysis of all articles of the Convention will be conducted in a month and a half. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

In its section ‘Minority Education,’ which is funded by the Society Integration Foundation, the newspaper

In its section ‘Minority Education, which is funded by the Society Integration Foundation, the newspaper Latvijas Avize prints an article about teacher Zanna Kupcika who was fined for not using the state language at the level required by the State Language Law. The newspaper also stresses that she is trying to mobilise students and their parents to protest against the minority education reform. The newspaper believes that such teachers should not work at school and Zanna Kupcika should be fired.

The New Era parliamentary group released a statement urging the Russian President Vladimir Putin sign the Latvian-Russian border agreement before 9 May. The New Era argues that Russia's intention to link the signing of the Latvian-Russian agreement with the Victory Day celebration on 9 May is unacceptable and improper and places Latvia, as well as the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in a humiliating situation. The New Era notes that the recent statement made by the Russian President about the situation with the Russian-speaking population in Latvia, and the rhetoric of the new Russian Ambassador Viktor Kalyuzhny can be regarded as provocative, and should be condemned by Saeima.

The New Era parliamentary group released a statement urging the Russian President Vladimir Putin sign the Latvian-Russian border agreement before 9 May. The New Era argues that Russia's intention to link the signing of the Latvian-Russian agreement with the Victory Day celebration on 9 May is unacceptable and improper and places Latvia, as well as the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in a humiliating situation. The New Era notes that the recent statement made by the Russian President about the situation with the Russian-speaking population in Latvia, and the rhetoric of the new Russian Ambassador Viktor Kalyuzhny can be regarded as provocative, and should be condemned by Saeima. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about several projects implemented by minority NGOs and funded by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. In 2004 the Secretariat managed to allot LVL 51 000 (EUR 35,445) for the implementation of minority NGOs projects.

Rigas Balss prints an article about the residents of Riga. Among other data, the newspaper reports that there are cases when a person changes his/her record of ethnicity in his/her identification documents. According to newspaper it is possible within two generations if a mother and a father or their parents have different ethnicities. Majority of people want to be Latvians, however, there are many cases when people want to become Jews or Germans.

Vesti Segodnya reports about celebrations of Orthodox Christmas and formation of the Russian Community in Liepaja. About 400 Russians took part in celebrations. There are 42,000 are Russians in Liepaja.

• FHRUL: local governments should have a right to use minority languages in communication with residents
• Comments on the case of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools activist Jurijs Petropavlovskis against state
• MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics asks to renew broadcasting of municipal election campaigns clips also in the Russian language
• Plans of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration
• Interview with the representative of the UN International Organisation for Migration in Latvia Ilmars Mezs

Union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) proposed to grant local governments the right to use minority languages alongside with the Latvian language in communication with their residents. According to FHRUL, such rights should be granted to municipalities in which at least one fifth of residents belong to a respective minority. At present, municipalities can only use Latvian as a working language, as stipulated by the Law on Local Governments.

Union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) proposed to grant local governments the right to use minority languages alongside with the Latvian language in communication with their residents. According to FHRUL, such rights should be granted to municipalities in which at least one fifth of residents belong to a respective minority. At present, municipalities can only use Latvian as a working language, as stipulated by the Law on Local Governments. Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya comments on the case of Jurijs Petropavlovskis, activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools, against the Latvian state. According to the consultant of the European Parliaments Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance Miroslavs Mitrofanovs (FHRUL), governments refusal to grant citizenship to Petropavlovskis is indicative of ‘discrimination on political and ethnic grounds, as Jurijs Petropavlovskis as a representative of minority is protecting rights of a concrete ethnic group, and FHRUL plans to draw attention of the European institutions to this case.

MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics (People’s Harmony Party) sent a letter to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ainars Latkovskis asking for cooperation in providing broadcast of TV clips, explaining voting procedure during upcoming municipal elections, also in the Russian language. According to Bartasevics, Latvian legislation contains no direct prohibition on providing information on voting procedure in other languages.

MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics (Peoples Harmony Party) sent a letter to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ainars Latkovskis asking for cooperation in providing broadcast of TV clips, explaining voting procedure during upcoming municipal elections, also in the Russian language. According to Bartasevics, Latvian legislation contains no direct prohibition on providing information on voting procedure in other languages. Chas

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration is planning to start three programmes directed towards social integration and development of civic society, support to the Latvian Diaspora and promotion of tolerance. According to the deputy director of the Secretariat’s Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Denis Hanovs, Ls 30,000 have been allocated to the programme for tolerance promotion in society. The programme foresees media monitoring, as well as active involvement of youth and minority NGOs.

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration is planning to start three programmes directed towards social integration and development of civic society, support to the Latvian Diaspora and promotion of tolerance. According to the deputy director of the Secretariats Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Denis Hanovs, Ls30,000 have been allocated to the programme for tolerance promotion in society. The programme foresees media monitoring, as well as active involvement of youth and minority NGOs. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Vestnesis prints an interview with the ethnologist and representative of the UN International Organisation for Migration in Latvia Ilmars Mezs about migration processes. Ilmars Mezs points to the necessity of developing national programme aimed at preventing problems related to labour force migration. The ethnologist also believes that Latvia would violate the basic principles of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by applying it also to immigrants who had arrived in Latvia after the World War II. ‘Only Livs, Roma, Jews and Russians in their historical locations, for example Old believers in Latgale region, should be regarded as minorities in Latvia, believes Ilmars Mezs.

• Vesti Segodnya comments on the conclusions of ‘The Report on Global Anti-Semitism
• Vesti Segodnya criticises the decision of the chairman of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars to stop broadcasting of municipal election campaigns clips in Russian

Vesti Segodnya comments on the conclusions of ‘The Report on Global Anti-Semitism developed by the USA Department of State and features views of the Advisor of the President of Latvia on social integration issues Sols Bukingolts about the xenophobia in Latvia. Sols Bukingolts argues that there is no anti-Semitism at the state level and states that state security institutions have adequately responded to a number of anti-Semitic manifestations. At the same time Sols Bukingolts points to existence of several national-radical organisations, which, according to Sols Bukingolts, incite national hatred.

Vesti Segodnya comments on the decision of the Chairman 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 newspaper ironically suggests that on the basis of the decisions arguments interfaces of websites of the Commission and other state institutions in other languages but Latvian should be closed as well.

• Interview with the Minister of Education and Science Ina Druviete
• Chairman of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars takes decision to stop broadcast of municipal election campaigns clips in the Russian language

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Minister of Education and Science Ina Druviete. Referring to her meeting with the students of Riga Secondary School Nr.13, the Minister states that difficulties brought by the implementation of the minority education reform are almost solved. The Minister argues that the effective ratio of the languages of instruction at minority schools is optimal for the Latvias situation. She states that the number of subjects, which are taught in Latvian at minority schools, will not be increased. However, Ina Druviete stresses that the implementation of bilingual education is topical for Latvian language schools as well.

In the response to the petition of the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM the Chairman of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars has issued a decision to stop broadcast of municipal election campaign’s clips about voting procedure in the Russian language. In its petition FF/LNIM argued that broadcast of clips in Russian contradicts the Law on Municipal Elections and the Official Language Law.

In the response to the petition of the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM the Chairman of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars has issued a decision to stop broadcast of municipal election campaigns clips about voting procedure in the Russian language. In its petition FF/LNIM argued that broadcast of clips in Russian contradicts the Law on Municipal Elections and the Official Language Law. Vesti Segodnya notes that the usage of languages in mass media is not the subject of the Official Language Law, but the Law on Radio and Television. The Russian-language newspaper also stresses that the Central Election Commission Law stipulates that the Central Election Commission should collaborate with mass media to provide information about voting procedure to voters, but the Law does not stipulate any restrictions concerning the usage of languages. MPs of left-wing political parties Jurijs Sokolovskis (FHRUL) and Boris Tsilevitch (Peoples Harmony Party) believes that the decision of Arnis Cimdars shows that the Commission is not politically objective. While MP Antra Rugate (Peoples Party) believes that the decision of Arnis Cimdars is correct and argues that all Latvian citizens should know the Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya, Chas