Sept. 5, 2003
Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
Latvian media reports on meeting against education reform
About 4,000 people attended the meeting against the education reform yesterday, report all newspapers except Vesti Segodnya, which estimates the number of participants at 10,000. At the meeting MP Jakov Pliner invited the Ministry of Education and Science to allow schools to freely choose the language of education. Rigas Balss features an article by Arnis Kluinis, who claims that only politicians and Russian-language newspapers in Latvia are interested in the continued existence of the Russian language and Russian community in Latvia. Russian-language newspapers report that teachers have received warnings that they may lose their jobs if they take part in this meeting. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Chas
Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of Naturalisation Board, predicts that after Latvias EU accession non-citizens will be more active in the naturalisation process, because the citizenship of Latvia then will be a citizenship of EU.
Rigas BalssChas
reports about the visit to Daugavpils of Gunter Verheugen, the Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Commission, writing that the Commissioner is convinced that the city is a model of multicultural Europe. He said that Latvia has met all the requirements of EC, including observing the rights of ethnic minorities. reports about the visit to Daugavpils of Gunter Verheugen, the Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Commission, writing that the Commissioner is convinced that the city is a model of multicultural Europe. He said that Latvia has met all the requirements of EC, including observing the rights of ethnic minorities.Vesti Segodnya
features an article about the situation of non-citizens after Latvias EU membership, quoting the opinion of Finlands Euro-sceptics that EU will not advocate the rights of the ethnic minorities of Latvia. features an article about the situation of non-citizens after Latvia’s EU membership, quoting the opinion of Finland’s Euro-sceptics that EU will not advocate the rights of the ethnic minorities of Latvia.Sept. 4, 2003
Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
Latvian-language media reports on meeting against education reform taking place today. Russian-language newspapers invite people to participate at this meeting. Chas concludes that the reform is premature, because no teaching methodology has been developed nor teachers trained for the implementation. Lauku avize reports that Karlis Sadurskis, the Minister of Education and Science, yesterday informed MPs about accomplished tasks in the area of reform. According to the newspaper, MPs from Peoples Party are concerned about the possibility for minority schools to themselves choose the subjects to be taught in Latvian, which in their view could lead to only unimportant subjects being taught in the state language. Diena, Lauku Avize, Chas, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya
Chas discusses reasons for a negative attitude towards learning Latvian, proposing that first and foremost there need to be stimuli for communication and dialogue between ethnic groups and then the need for Latvian language skills will become self-evident.Chas discusses reasons for a negative attitude towards learning Latvian, proposing that first and foremost there need to be stimuli for communication and dialogue between ethnic groups and then the need for Latvian language skills will become self-evident.
Vesti Segodnya
complains that the issue of non-citizens was not discussed during the visit of Gunter Verheugen, the Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Commission. The newspaper also reports that next week Aivars Aksenoks, the Minister of Justice, should provide explanations to a parliamentary committee about budget cuts to the Naturalization Board. complains that the issue of non-citizens was not discussed during the visit of Gunter Verheugen, the Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Commission. The newspaper also reports that next week Aivars Aksenoks, the Minister of Justice, should provide explanations to a parliamentary committee about budget cuts to the Naturalization Board.Telegraf
writes about the necessity to make amendments in the Law on Radio and Television. The law could be supplemented with a norm, which would make it mandatory for TV and radio stations of several areas (for example, Latgale, Daugavpils, Liepaja and Riga) to provide a specified number of programs in Latvian. writes about the necessity to make amendments in the Law on Radio and Television. The law could be supplemented with a norm, which would make it mandatory for TV and radio stations of several areas (for example, Latgale, Daugavpils, Liepaja and Riga) to provide a specified number of programs in Latvian.Telegraf
features an interview with Roman Alyev, the Principal of Riga Classical gymnasium about bilingual education. features an interview with Roman Alyev, the Principal of Riga Classical gymnasium about bilingual education. ÂSept. 3, 2003
Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
Meeting against the education reform and its political consequences
Latvian media reports that 106,157 signatures have been collected in a protest against the education reform organised by the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools (LASRS). The meeting against the education reform on September 4th is announced as MPs meeting with their voters. LASRS has announced that it will not participate, after Riga City Council repeatedly denied their request for permission to hold the meeting. Diena and Telegraf also discuss political aspects of the struggle against the education reform, claiming that it has cleaved the left-wing politicians. While the Peoples Solidarity party is seeking compromises with the government, the new political party Free Choice in Peoples Europe demands repeal of the education reform. Lauku Avize reports that a large shareof inhabitants letters that the Saeima received over the last two months concerned the education reform. Diena, Lauku Avize, Rigas Balss,Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf,Vechernaya Riga
Vechernaya Riga
prints an interview with Genadij Kotov, the leader of Headquarter for Defence of Russian Schools and deputy of Riga City Council about the meeting against the education reform and disagreements with Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools.Diena
features an article by Aldis Rozentals about ethnic integration process and the role of language in it. He stresses that the discussion in Latvia needs another focus, considering that the process of integration first and foremost concerns the individual and not groups, such as non-citizens or Russians. Secondly, it is essential to speak about integration as a set of rights and not ethnic questions alone.Lauku Avize
continues discussion about the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks, responding to the article of the Minister about integration. The newspaper presents the critical standpoint of its readers, most of who regards the work of Muiznieks as unsuccessful and not conducive of ethnical tolerance.On September 5th the conference The culturally historical problems of Liv locality in Western Vidzeme will take place. Neatkariga Rita Avize
Sept. 2, 2003
Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
- Foreign Affairs Minister of Italy: the EU will pay attention to the integration problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia
- Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister about the integration issues
- Interview with Ina Druviete, the Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee about the integration issues
- The MPs of the FHRUL require to continue discussion about the education reform
Neatkariga reports about the information provided by the Russian news agency RIA that the Foreign Affairs Minister of Italy, the EU presiding country, in the correspondence to the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister announced that the EU will pay the attention to the integration problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia and that education issues have to be solved in accordance with the European standards of the protection of the rights of national minorities.
Lauku Avize features an interview with Sandra Kalniete, the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister. The Minister stresses that the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published recommendations to increase the pace of naturalisation are not compulsory. Regarding the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Ms. Kalniete believes that this is a matter of time as the standards of the protection of national minorities to a great extent are introduced into national legislation.
Rigas Balss features an interview with Ina Druviete, the Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee about the integration issues. Ina Druviete fears that the principles of the Society integration are not observed. However Ms. Druviete rejects the statements that she is interested to take the post of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.
The MPs of the political coalition For Human Rights in United Latvia renewed Saeima’s faction and the Riga City Council prepared a document asking to organise a discussion with the representatives of the national minority NGOs and the Headquarters for the protection of Russian schools in order to adopt measures that would allow Russian schools to decide on the ratio of the instruction languages. The document was forwarded to the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration.The MPs of the political coalition For Human Rights in United Latvia renewed Saeimas faction and the Riga City Council prepared a document asking to organise a discussion with the representatives of the national minority NGOs and the Headquarters for the protection of Russian schools in order to adopt measures that would allow Russian schools to decide on the ratio of the instruction languages. The document was forwarded to the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. Chas
Aug. 30, 2003
Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
- New political party will join the political coalition For Human Rights in United Latvia
- Peoples Solidarity party is willing to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Science
- Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs of Estonia visits Riga
New political party Free Choice in Peoples Europe (Brîva izvçle tautu Eiropâ, Latvian acronym BITE) was created in order to maintain the political coalition For Human Rights in United Latvia, which was not able to continue its activities consisting of only one political party Solidarity. The chairman of the FHRUL renewed Saeimas faction will be Yakov Pliner. Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Chas, Lauku Avize
Janis Urbanovich, the Vice-chairman of the People’s Solidarity party informed that the Party is willing to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Science regarding the education reform and provide their recommendations.Janis Urbanovich, the Vice-chairman of the Peoples Solidarity party informed that the Party is willing to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Science regarding the education reform and provide their recommendations. Vesti Segodnya, Chas
Lauku Avize prints an article about the visit to Riga of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Paul-Erik Rummo. The Minister informed that language issues are not topical in Estonia as majority of the population has a good knowledge of Estonian.