Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Article about Russian identity in Latvia
• Attitude of Latvians and non-Latvians towards Latvias accession to the EU
• MP signs the statement of the National Front
• Integration and Education Ministers see threats in the statements released by the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform
• Lauku Avize
reproaches Integration Minister for not responding to non-democratic articles in the Russian language press
• Interview with integration expert Aleksandr Brandavs

Diena

features an article Problems with Russian Identity in Latvia by Aldis Rozentals whose ethnic background is Russian, however, he identifies himself with Latvians. He describes four types of identities and believes that bi-ethnic identity when an individual has high level of identification with both his/her ethnic group and another group is the best in Latvias situation. He believes that opponents of the education reform will reach only deeper alienation and run the risk of becoming unwanted people in Latvia. Aldis Rozentals concludes that protest activities against the education reform should make the state review the situation in the field of education and start take actions.

Dienas

supplement Sestdiena features an article about residents of a multi-storey building in one of suburbs of Riga and their attitude towards the EU. About a half of the residents surveyed are non-Latvians and the majority of them are non-citizens. Some Latvians state that they will vote against the EU because they believe that prices will grow but their income will remain the same and that Latvia is not ready for the EU. One of inquired Latvians works for the Secretariat of Social Integration. He is a Euro-optimist and believes that in the end Latvian politicians will realise that non-citizens should be given the right to participate in municipal elections. Opinions of Russians and non-citizens surveyed differ as well. Some of them believe that Latvias accession to the EU will bring more positive changes in the field of minority rights. The author of the article concludes that although the referendum is close, many people do not have a very clear picture of the EU. According to the poll conducted by the Latvijas fakti 61.1 Latvians and 56.6 citizens would vote for the EU in April.

The MP of the Union of the Greens and Farmers Ulme has signed a statement of the National Front led by Aivars Garda. The statement calls on foreign countries to immediately start de-occupation of Latvia - civilised repatriation of occupants to their ethnic motherland. Ulme denies that he wants to repatriate occupants, however, he has signed the statement which demands recognition of the occupation of Latvia. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Education and Integration Ministers treat the warning of opponents of the education reform as threats. The opponents of the reform stated that they hope that Latvia will not go through the tragic experience of Macedonia, Olster and Kosovo in the field of education. The Head of the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov agrees that such statements hamper the dialogue between the government and the Headquarter. The Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis evaluates the statement as extreme irresponsibility, a hidden call to violence and one more testimony that the dialogue is not built on a professional but on a political level. MPs of the New Era and the Peoples Party Krisjanis Karins and Dzintars Abikis do not see threats in the statement. Diena, Lauku Avize

Lauku Avize

reproaches the Special Task Minister for Social Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks for not responding to publications in the press which in the view of Lauku Avize kindles national hatred and voices non-democratic ideas.

Chas

interviews the Advisor of the Integration Minister Aleksandr Brandavs. He stresses that now the government pays more attention to the issues concerning consolidation of society and the formation of the Secretariat for Integration Affairs was the first step. Brandavs reaffirms that there will be no zero citizenship and that non-citizens should naturalise to become full-fledged residents of the country. In the closest future the Secretariat is planning to form the Riga multicultural centre.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• EU allots EUR 2 million for integration and civil society development projects
• Russia presents 55,000 books to schools in Latvia
• Vechernaya Riga
interviews PHP MP Boris Tsilevich
• Headquarter of organisers of protest activities against the education reform dissatisfied with the attitude of officials

For the first time the EU has allotted such a big amount for the implementation of projects aimed at ethnic and social integration and development of civil society. The allotted amount is EUR 2 million. The Integration Foundation is in the charge of administration of money and has already announced the tender of projects.

For the first time the EU has allotted such a big amount for the implementation of projects aimed at ethnic and social integration and development of civil society. The allotted amount is EUR 2 million. The Integration Foundation is in the charge of administration of money and has already announced the tender of projects. Diena, Neatkariga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Russia has presented 55,000 books to schools in Latvia. The head of the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov is particularly delighted that 1/10 of schools which requested these books are Latvian schools. Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Telegraf

Vechernaya Riga

features an interview with Peoples Harmony Party Boris Tsilevich about the education reform of minority schools in Latvia. The newspaper starts the article with conclusion that many people are disappointed with the policies of European organisations. He explains the key tasks of some organisations, such as the EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The newspaper notes that the OSCE Mission to Latvia was closed just before the conflict regarding the education reform started to develop, however, Boris Tsilevich believes that some, albeit small, progress has been made regarding the education reform and that people should not expect miracles from Europe. He believes that negotiations containing compromises could be a solution in this situation.

Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

and Telegraf print the statement released by the Headquarter of organisers of protest activities against the education reform. It states that a number of protest activities and 82,000 signatures collected against the education reform clearly show the attitude of Russian-speaking population towards the reform. It expresses dissatisfaction with the attitude of officials, in particular, the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis, towards building a dialogue with the Headquarter.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Interview with the head of the Union of Greens and Farmers Saeima faction Augusts Brigmanis
• Russian-language newspapers focus on the statement about minority schools of the head of the New Era Saeima faction Krisjanis Karins

Lauku Avize

interviews the head of the Union of Greens and Farmers Saeima faction Augusts Brigmanis. When asked what should be the top priority of the Latvian President, Augusts Brigmanis says that the President should try to foster social integration in Latvia. He states that Latvia needs those young people who were born and grew up in Latvia but still have not naturalised. Brigmanis notes that his party does not want to be too nationalistic.

Vechernaya Riga, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

quote the statement of the head of the New Era Saeima faction Krishjanis Karins from his interview with Lauku Avize our government has full rights to allot nothing for those schools where classes are not held in the Latvian language. We do not have to provide funding for schools where subjects are not taught in Latvian. Newspapers conclude that it is the stance of the whole government.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Interview with the Head of the New Era Saeima faction Krisjanis Karins
• Interview with First Deputy of the Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Lubova Sliska
• Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee gave an interview with a nationalistic newspaper
• HIV/AIDS-infected Russian youth in Estonia and Latvia
• FF/LNNK member about activities of Russian-speakers
• Lauku Avize
features a long article about the study initiated by the Naturalisation Board

Lauku Avize

interviews the head of the New Era Saeima faction Krisjanis Karins. In response to newspapers reproaches that the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks is not doing his job as there were no non-Latvians at the Freedom Monument on 14 June -- the mourning day for victims who were deported to Siberia by the Soviet regime -- Krisjanis Karins replies that it is difficult to comment on Nils Muiznieks as he is not a Minister appointed by his party. Regarding citizenship issues, Karins says that international experts may say what they want about the big number of non-citizens, however, Latvia does not have to change anything and even if we decide to harden the Citizenship Law, nobody would be able to object to that. Karins states that the New Era has a different approach to solving ethnic issues than FF/LNNK does.

Chas

interviews the First Deputy of the Chairperson of the Russias State Duma Lubova Sliska. She believes that the time has come to solve non-citizen issues in Latvia and Estonia. Lubov Sliska states that her efforts to establish a dialogue with the Latvian Parliament failed. She believes that Russia should implement more effective policy regarding its compatriots.

Vesti Segodnya

reports that the Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee Ina Druviete gave an interview to the nationalistic newspaper DDD. Vesti Segodnya writes that Druviete provided her opinion regarding ethnic relations in Latvia.

Chas, Vechernaya Riga

feature an article about a book on HIV/AIDS-infected Russian youth in Estonia and Latvia. The author states that integration programmes of both countries Estonia and Latvia may lead to a serious risk of social exclusion among Russian youth in Estonia and Latvia and that their implementation may foster the growth of infection with HIV/AIDS among the Russian youth.

Lauku Avize

features an article by member of FF/LNNK Vilnis Zarins about the activities of Russian-speakers. He states that protest activities against the education reform are their efforts to dictate their will in Latvia. He says that not all Russian-speakers are hostile towards Latvia. He concludes that all residents of Latvia should observe the law.

Lauku Avize

features a long article about the study initiated by the Naturalisation Board on the reasons which hold back non-citizens from naturalisation.

Integration and Minority Information Service

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

• Vaira Vike-Freiberga re-elected Latvian President
• Judge receives reprimand for violating the principle of the open court
• Interview with Irina Vinnika

Strengthening democratic institutions in Latvia, fostering the welfare of the people, promoting the development of the business sector and being in charge of the interests of Latvia and its good reputation on the international scene are the key tasks Vaira Vike-Freiberga named as her priorities just after her re-election. 88 MPs voted for and 6 against the candidacy of Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Neatkariga, Diena, Lauku Avize, Latvijas Vestnesis, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

The Disciplinary Collegium of Judges issued a reprimand to the judge of the Riga Latgale District Court Lauma Volberga who adopted a ruling in the so-called policemen case (4 policemen beat a Roma man who later died) and read the courts ruling without the presence of the victims relatives, thus violating the principle of the open court. Diena

Vesti Segodnya

interviews Irina Vinnik who just recently was appointed the director of the National Minority Department at the Social Integration Secretariat. Previously Irina Vinnika was a journalist and produced TV programmes in Russian. Irina Vinnika states that she wants that national minorities would feel at home in Latvia.