Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Social anthropologist about ethnic relations in Latvia
• Newspapers comments on the first prize essay in the contest The Borders of My Language – Borders of My World
• Teacher from Salaspils asks asylum in Russia
• Israeli Ambassador concerned that Latvian politicians give interviews with the nationalistic newspaper

Jauna Avize

interviews social anthropologist Klavs Sedlinieks about interethnic relations in Latvia. He states that Latvian identity is formed on a negative ground and on the perception of Latvians as people who are not very successful, however, young people are more positive in their thinking. Regarding Russians in Latvia, Klavs Sedlinieks says that Russian-speakers who live in Latvia are not perceived as Latvians, but only as Russians who live outside Russia. He stresses that the State Language Law is one of the most important integration driving force of minorities in Latvia. However, at the same time it is very essential to talk about integration of Latvians in Latvia, that is, Latvians should fully integrate in the existing society and accept it as it is. He does not see that the further existence of the Russian community in Latvia is under threat.

Vechernaya Riga

and Chas looks into the essay written by Maxim Kovalenko who was given one of the first prizes in the essay contest The Borders of My Language – Border of My World organised by the public policy centre Providus, the Embassy of Norway, the public policy portal politika.lv and the Ministry of Education and Science. The Minister of Education Karlis Sadurskis disagreed with the decision of the jury that this essay should be given the first prize as it does not foster social integration. Maxim Kovalenko in his essay analysed the education reform.

The biology teacher from Salaspils who was fired due to her insufficient Latvian language skills and afterwards re-hired on the basis of the courts decision sent a letter to the Russian President Vladimir Putin asking to provide her asylum in Russia as in Latvia she is discriminated. The newspaper predicts that after the education reform is implemented, there will be a huge number of teachers who want be able to work at schools.

Telegraf

reports that the Israeli Ambassador Avraham Benjamin is concerned that some Latvian politicians and well know public persons give interviews with the nationalistic newspaper DDD led by notorious Aivars Garda.

Integration and Minority Information Servicea

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

• Support programme for minority schools developed by the Ministry of Education and Science approved
• Rally against the education reform was held outside the buildings of three embassies
• Security institutions keep continuos surveillance over opponents of the education reform
• Moscows delegation in Riga discusses education issues
• Roma demands dismissal of the President of the Latvian Roma Association

On Tuesday the support programme for minority schools developed by the Ministry of Education and Science was approved. The programme foresees discussions about the education reform with parents, allocation of resources for study literature, teaching aid and education of teachers. A part of funding is found in the this years state budget, a part could be funded by the Integration Foundation. However, the Head of the Association for the Support for Russians Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov says that these activities will not be very effective if the MoE tries to impose only its views. Diena

Yesterday the protest rally against the education reform was held outside the buildings of three embassies – Italy, Germany and France. About 60 people took part in the meeting. Chas, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

When meeting MPs of FF/LNNK the Director of the Constitution Protection Office Janis Kazocins admitted that opponents against the education reform are under continuos surveillance of security institutions. Diena, Chas, Telegraf

One of the members of the Moscows delegation voiced incomprehension why the education reform of minority schools will be implemented next year as schools are not ready for the reform. Representative of the Moscows delegation held meetings with Latvian politicians and officials. The decision was taken to organise mutual seminars about minorities in Latvia as the lack of information about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia cultivates different myths in Russia. Diena, Chas

Vesti Segodnya

reports that about 30 Roma protested against ex-MP and the President of the Cultural Association of Latvian Roma Normunds Rudevics. Roma expressed their dissatisfaction with the activities of Normunds Rudevics as Rudevics has not presented any financial report about expenditures of funding allotted for the Association during several years (in total LVL 101,000).

Chas reports about the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus accounted for his last visit to Latvia and was satisfied with his co-operation with Latvian authorities. While British MP Andrew McKinley expressed his concern about the great number of non-citiezens and announced that he will inspect the situation of Russian speakers in Latvia. The visit will be organised till the end of the year.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Capacity of NGOs to administer EU funding allotted for ethnic integration
• Association for the Support for Russian Schools held a press conference yesterday – the Headquarter calls on people to attend rallies outside embassy buildings
• Delegation of the Moscow municipality visits Riga
• Russia reproaches Latvia for the situation of Russian-speakers in the country

Diena

features an article about the capacity of Latvias NGOs to implement ethnic integration projects, which are funded by the Integration Foundation and the EU. NGOs, which projects won last year, admit that although all of them have experience with international projects, acquisition of EU funding and its administration requires considerable effort. The Integration Foundation expresses its concern whether this year there will be a sufficient number of good and well-elaborated projects as EU funding this year is much bigger than last year. None of the NGOs which received funding last year was a minority NGO. The Director of the Integration Foundation Nils Sakss stresses that if minority NGOs can find a partner – a municipality or bigger NGO – their lack of experience with big projects is not an obstacle to receive funding.

Yesterday the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia held a press conference. It stated If the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis does not have intentions to build a dialogue, we have a hope that we will be able to build a dialogue with European institutions. Today the Association will organise protest activities outside the buildings of foreign embassies and international institutions. Chas

Vesti Segodnya

reports about the meeting of the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Andrew Rasbash with the representatives of the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform. The Head of the Delegation did not promise any quick solution to the issue and noted that education issues are very sensitive in many European countries as well.

Vesti Segodnya

prints an advertisment Yes to Schools – Yes to Europe, No to Schools – No to Europe which calls on people to come to the embassies of foreign countries (Italy, France and Germany) today and protest against the education reform.

Yesterday the two-day working visit of the Moscow municipality delegation was launched in Riga. Chas

Yesterday at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE the Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov stated that Russia is particularly concerned with the situation in Latvia where the government is planning to implement the education reform which stipulates that studies at secondary Russian schools will be held in Latvian. He believes that national parliaments of European countries should take actions towards Latvia and Estonia to protect the rights of Russian-speakers in these countries. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

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

Lauku Avize

comments on the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held last week

Chas provides practices of the EU countries regarding minority education

Lauku Avize

reports on the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held last week during which the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia was discussed. Lauku Avize stresses that there was no representative from Latvia except oppositions party MP Andrey Klementyev who could defend the positions of Latvia. The Head of the Latvian Delegation, MP of the Latvian First Party Eriks Jekabsons was not present at the session. He hopes that there will not be any serious consequences and the OSCE Mission will not be re-established in Latvia.

Chas

argues against the statements of the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis and Chairperson of the New Era Saeima faction Krishjanis Karinsh that European policy does not provide that minority education should be ensured from the state budget, therefore Latvia does not have to allot money to finance minority education. The newspaper gives examples of various EU countries, such as Finland, Norway, Spain etc., where minorities study in their languages for free.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Russia will criticise Latvia in the OSCE PA
• Chas features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia
• Response to the article about Russian identities in Latvia

Chas, Vesti Segodnya

report that the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov is planning to give a speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE with the aim to harshly criticise the minority situation in Latvia. report that the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov is planning to give a speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE with the aim to harshly criticise the minority situation in Latvia.

Chas

features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia and the study on the reasons why non-citizens do not want to naturalise. The author of the article believes that the most effective measure to decrease the great number of non-citizens in Latvia is to award Latvian citizenship everybody who was born in the country irrespectively of the time when s/he was born. features an article about citizenship issues in Latvia and the study on the reasons why non-citizens do not want to naturalise. The author of the article believes that the most effective measure to decrease the great number of non-citizens in Latvia is to award Latvian citizenship everybody who was born in the country irrespectively of the time when s/he was born.

Diena

features an article by the journalist Yuriy Zubkov. The article is a response to the publication by Aldis Rozentals Russian Identities in Latvia. Zubkov opposes the stance of Aldis Rozentals and states that he does not have any of three identification types indicated by Rozentals although Zubkov is Russian as well. He also objects to the interpretation of the term assimilation which according to Rozentals could be volunteering. features an article by the journalist Yuriy Zubkov. The article is a response to the publication by Aldis Rozentals “Russian Identities in Latvia.” Zubkov opposes the stance of Aldis Rozentals and states that he does not have any of three identification types indicated by Rozentals although Zubkov is Russian as well. He also objects to the interpretation of the term “assimilation” which according to Rozentals could be volunteering. The public policy portal "politika.lv" prints a number of reports concerning integration and minority issues:

The public policy portal "politika.lv" prints a number of reports concerning integration and minority issues:

"Protecting Minorities in Europe. A Briefing Paper: From Analysis to Action" by Minority Rights Group International.

"The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. APolicy Analysis" written by Alan Phillips and financed by Minority RightsGroup International.