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

• Romano Prodi: social integration policy in Latvia conforms to international standards
• Human rights experts discuss the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the case Slivenko family
• New minority association established
• Chas columnist criticizes the attitudes of Latvian officials towards the recommendations of international experts

The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi stated that social integration policy in Latvia conforms to all international standards and is supported by the European Commission.

The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi stated that social integration policy in Latvia conforms to all international standards and is supported by the European Commission. Vesti Segodnya

Lauku Avize prints an article about the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the case of Tatjana Slivenko family, featuring the responses of human rights experts. According to the representative of Latvia to ECHR Inga Reine, this case will be a precedent for other cases, but will not become an unequivocal standard for judgements in other cases. Other experts point to the compliance of the Latvian legislation with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The new association of minority NGOs “Sadraudziba” (“Commonwealth”) was established on Saturday. The establishment of the association was initiated by the Russian Community in Latvia, the Union of Byelorussian Social Communities in Latvia, the Union of Ukrainians of Latvia, the Armenian Community in Latvia and the Azerbaijan Society of Latvia. The new association will seek to promote collaboration between minority NGOs, facilitating their integration into Latvian and European society, maintenance of minority identity, and active participation in the area of improvement of ethnic relations and protection of minorities from discrimination.

The new association of minority NGOs Sadraudziba (Commonwealth) was established on Saturday. The establishment of the association was initiated by the Russian Community in Latvia, the Union of Byelorussian Social Communities in Latvia, the Union of Ukrainians of Latvia, the Armenian Community in Latvia and the Azerbaijan Society of Latvia. The new association will seek to promote collaboration between minority NGOs, facilitating their integration into Latvian and European society, maintenance of minority identity, and active participation in the area of improvement of ethnic relations and protection of minorities from discrimination. Diena, Lauku Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Chas columnist Leonid Fedoseyev criticizes the attitudes of Latvian officials towards the recommendations of international experts about observation of minority rights.

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

• The European Court of Human Rights delivered a judgement in the case of Tatjana Slivenko
• The number of applications for naturalization increased
• The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russias State Council is planning to discuss the possibility of imposing economical sanctions on Latvia
• The unveiling of a memorial gravestone in the place of mass execution of Jews in the Auce town
• Juris Dobelis, Janis Freimanis and Miroslav Mitrofanov discuss the relationships between Latvia and Russia and observation of minority rights in Latvia
• TV discussion about granting of voting rights at municipal elections to non-citizens
• Chas columnist discusses the promise of Ina Druviete to write articles about education reform for the Russian language press

On Thursday the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered a judgment in the case of Tatjana Slivenko family satisfying one claim out of eleven indicted by Slivenko. The ECHR decided that Latvia violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for private life and home) making a decision about deportation of the family from the state. Latvia will be obliged to pay 20,000 euros to the family for non-pecuniary damage while the ECHR decision does not stipulate the right of the family to return to Latvia. The decision about deportation of the family from Latvia was made according to the treaty on the withdrawal of Russian troops between Latvia and Russia. The ECHR accepted that the treaty and implementing measures had sought to protect the interests of national security. However, according to the judgment, the Latvian authorities did not examine whether the concrete family presented a specific danger to national security.

On Thursday the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered a judgment in the case of Tatjana Slivenko family satisfying one claim out of eleven indicted by Slivenko. The ECHR decided that Latvia violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for private life and home) making a decision about deportation of the family from the state. Latvia will be obliged to pay 20,000 euros to the family for non-pecuniary damage while the ECHR decision does not stipulate the right of the family to return to Latvia. The decision about deportation of the family from Latvia was made according to the treaty on the withdrawal of Russian troops between Latvia and Russia. The ECHR accepted that the treaty and implementing measures had sought to protect the interests of national security. However, according to the judgment, the Latvian authorities did not examine whether the concrete family presented a specific danger to national security. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf, Vechernaya Riga

The Naturalization Board received 1155 applications for naturalization during the last September. According to the Head of the Naturalization board Eizenija Aldermane, Latvian language courses offered by the Naturalization Board during the last years and the results of the referendum on Latvia’s accession to the EU are possible reasons of the increased number of applications.

The Naturalization Board received 1155 applications for naturalization during the last September. According to the Head of the Naturalization board Eizenija Aldermane, Latvian language courses offered by the Naturalization Board during the last years and the results of the referendum on Latvias accession to the EU are possible reasons of the increased number of applications. Diena

Dmitry Rogozin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russia’s State Council has stated to journalists that Foreign Affairs Committee is planning to discuss the possibility of imposing economical sanctions on Latvia. He also stresses that the Committee will sharply criticize violations of human and minority rights in Latvia.

Dmitry Rogozin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russias State Council has stated to journalists that Foreign Affairs Committee is planning to discuss the possibility of imposing economical sanctions on Latvia. He also stresses that the Committee will sharply criticize violations of human and minority rights in Latvia. Telegraf features an interview with Rogozin on these issues. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Yesterday a memorial gravestone was unveiled in the place of mass execution of Jews in Auce town.

Yesterday a memorial gravestone was unveiled in the place of mass execution of Jews in Auce town. Diena, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

Rigas Balss features a discussion between a MP from the faction For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK Juris Dobelis, an academician and a deputy of the Riga City Council from the Peoples Party Janis Freimanis and a deputy chairperson of the party Solidarity Miroslavs Mitrofanovs about relationships between Latvia and Russia and observation of minority rights in Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya refers toaTV discussion between the Latvian officials, human rights experts and left-wing politicians about the recommendation of the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles to grant voting rights at municipal elections to non-citizens.

Chas columnist Leonid Fedoseyev wonders if a MP from the party New Era and the head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee Ina Druviete will write articles about education reform for the Russian language press as she promised on the TV news programme Panorama.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Recommendations of the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles to Latvia
• Saeima Government Review Committee meets Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Draft amendments to the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR Who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State
• Latvian National Human Rights Office will examine the complaint of a Latvian language teacher about conflict with her students

Newspapers feature recommendations of Alvaro Gill-Robles, the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, on social integration issues in Latvia. The Commissioner has advised to simplify the naturalization exams, provide them free of charge, and grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections, thus increasing their sense of state identity and motivation to naturalize. According to Diena, the Commissioner has stated that recommendations of the Council of Europe are not binding for Latvia. He also pointed that the monitoring of minority rightsin Latvia should not be renewed because of the fact that Latvia has not ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. However, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is the one to make the final decision. Neatkariga Rita Avize features opinions of human rights experts and Latvian officials on possibility of granting voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. According to the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks, more attention should be paid to naturalization of 110,000 children and young people who are not Latvian citizens. Lauku Avize and Telegraf also print articles about the meeting of Alvaro Gill-Robles with the MPs. Lauku Avize, Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

Yesterday the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks met with the Saeima Government Review Committee answering questions about his stance on various social integration issues and informing about the planned activities. According to Muiznieks, Latvias accession to the EU should not affect the education reform. The minister also referred to his meetings with representatives of several international institutions, where he objected to the need of granting voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections, and stressed that Latvian priority is to promote naturalization. Lauku Avize

The Russian State Council has prepared a statement about minority rights situation in Latvia. According to the statement, the EU is planning to admit Latvia as a member despite the fact that its observation of minority rights does not comply with the European human rights standards. The newspaper does not specify the addressee of this statement. Vesti Segodnya

The Saeima Human rights and Public Affairs Committee examined draft amendments to the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR Who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State elaborated by the government. The amendments stipulate that non-citizens have an opportunity to renounce the status of a non-citizen of Latvia if they become residents of other states and obtain a travelling document there. According to the present law, only Latvian non-citizens living in the CIS states, lose their status. According to the draft amendments, a person should be a permanent resident of Latvia to get the status of Latvian non-citizen. Lauku Avize

The Saeima Human Rights Committee delegated the examination of the Latvian language teacher`s complaint about a conflict situation with her students to the Latvian National Human Rights Office. The conflict aroused after the students refusal to attend the Latvian language lessons allegedly because of ethnic preconceptions of the teacher. Rigas Balss

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

• Discussion about the statements of Alvaro Gill-Robles, the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe
• Cabinet of Ministers approves the establishment of the State Language Agency
• MPs plan to meet Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, to talk over the mutual disagreements
• Nils Muiznieks: non-citizens are passive in the naturalization process
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia distributes the statements of Walter Schwimmer, the Secretary-General of Council of Europe, about the education reform in Latvia
• The President of Latvia and parliamentary faction For Human Rights in the United Latvia talk over the education reform
• Historian Dr. Leo Dribins and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks about ethnic factors in voting results of the referendum on the Latvia`s accession to the EU

Newspapers write about the visit of the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles to Latvia, featuring the responses of Latvian officials to his statements. Lauku Avize refers to Olafs Bruvers, the head of the Latvian National Human Rights Office. According to him, the recommendation of the Commissioner to grant voting rights at municipal elections to non-citizens was his private opinion, not the official stance of the Council of Europe. Bruvers also stresses that this suggestion was not based on an in-depth analysis of the situation of Latvia. The newspaper also refers to the opinions of Anta Rugate, a MP, believing that granting of voting rights to non-citizens would decrease their motivation to naturalize. Ina Druviete, the head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee, states that fulfilling of this recommendation would hinder the process of social integration and decrease motivation to learn the Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya and Vecernaya Riga refer to Kristine Juckovica, the press secretary of the Prime Minister of Latvia, informing that Latvia will not fulfill the recommendation of the Commisioner to grant voting rights to non-citizens since there are opportunities for non-citizens to naturalize. Lauku Avize, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a concept of the establishment of the State Language Agency. Telegraf points to the overlap of functions between the new State Language Agency and the State Language Centre as well as other institutions responsible for the implementation of the state language policy, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Rigas Balss writes about the conflict between the representatives of Saeima and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks since last August. The newspaper points out that the opponents of Muiznieks are planning to meet with him in the coming days to talk over the mutual disagreements.

Vesti Segodnya

features an article about an interview of Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, to Russian radio station Eho Moskvi. According to the Minister, the main non-citizens problem in Latvia is their own passivity in the process of naturalization.

The press-center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia has distributed the opinion of Walter Schwimmer, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, on the education reform in Latvia. According to him, there are different models of minority education in Europe, but the Council of Europe is expecting Latvia to observe both the rights to get education in minority language and the rights to get a qualitative education in the state language. Lauku Avize also refers to the false interpretation of Schwimmer`s statements by several Russian news agencies and Russian language newspapers in Latvia. Lauku Avize

Chas features an article about the meeting of Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the President of Latvia, with the representatives of Saeima opposition parties. Education reform was the main subject of discussion between the President and the faction For Human Rights in the United Latvia. The President promised to talk over this issue with the Minister of Education and Science.

The public policy portal www.politika.lv publishes an article of the historian Dr. Leo Dribins and an interview of Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, to the radio station Briva Eiropa (Free Europe), where they both discuss ethnic factors in voting results of the referendum on the Latvia`s accession to the EU.

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

• Recommendations of Alvaro Gil-Robles, the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, to Latvia
• State Language Agency concept submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers
• Discussion about the possible causes of anti-Semitic acts of vandalism in Latvia
• Conflict between a Latvian language teacher and students

The First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gil-Robles, who is visiting Latvia in order to prepare a report on human rights situation in Latvia for the Council of Europe, has met with Olafs Bruvers, the head of the Latvian National Human Rights Office. The First Commissioner recommended to Latvia to consider an opportunity to grant voting rights at municipal elections to non-citizens. He also recommended to grant Latvian citizenship automatically to the children born in Latvia, to ease the naturalization procedure for elderly people, and to allow to submit documents to the local governments in other languages apart from Latvian in the areas inhabited by persons belonging to minorities in substantial numbers. According to

The First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gil-Robles, who is visiting Latvia in order to prepare a report on human rights situation in Latvia for the Council of Europe, has met with Olafs Bruvers, the head of the Latvian National Human Rights Office. The First Commissioner recommended to Latvia to consider an opportunity to grant voting rights at municipal elections to non-citizens. He also recommended to grant Latvian citizenship automatically to the children born in Latvia, to ease the naturalization procedure for elderly people, and to allow to submit documents to the local governments in other languages apart from Latvian in the areas inhabited by persons belonging to minorities in substantial numbers. According to Diena, Alvaro Gill-Robless has also discussed the education reform at the meeting with Karlis Shadurskis, the Minister of Education and Science. During the visit to the Secretariat of Special Task Minister for Societal Integration, the First Commissioner and Nils Muiznieks spoke about the situation of Roma in Latvia. Rigas Balss features the opinions of Latvian officials, stressing that the suggestions of Alvaro Gil-Robles are not binding for Latvia. Rigas Balss, Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

The Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a concept of the establishment of the State Language Agency, which will be responsible for the implementation of the state language policy. The Committee decided that the Agency will be under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science. Today the Cabinet of Ministers should examine the concept. The key functions of the new body are: promotion of Latvian language development in the area of information technologies, ensuring the development of Latvian language terminology, consultations on the state language issues, and promotion and popularization of language acquisition and use.

The Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a concept of the establishment of the State Language Agency, which will be responsible for the implementation of the state language policy. The Committee decided that the Agency will be under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science. Today the Cabinet of Ministers should examine the concept. The key functions of the new body are: promotion of Latvian language development in the area of information technologies, ensuring the development of Latvian language terminology, consultations on the state language issues, and promotion and popularization of language acquisition and use. Lauku Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Russian language newspapers feature articles about the possible causes of anti-Semitic acts of vandalism in Latvia.

Russian language newspapers feature articles about the possible causes of anti-Semitic acts of vandalism in Latvia. Vechernaya Riga, referring to the statements of the parents of young delinquents, assumes thatthe real organizers of the vandalism act in the New Jewish cemetery could be the extremist organization All for Latvia. Telegraf stresses the existence of extremist organizations involved in vandalism acts, in Latvia.

Lauku Avize features an article about the conflict between a Latvian language teacher and her students in a Riga Russian language school. The students of the 12b grade refused to attend the Latvian language lessons because of the ethnic preconceptions of the teacher. The school principal and other grades students believe that accusations against the teacher are unjust.