• Representatives of the European Parliament criticize Saeimas decision to recall Martjan Bekasov
• Russian officials are planning to raise the question of minority rights monitoring in Latvia
• Minority issues in Latvia discussed at the session of NATO Parliamentary Assembly
• Proposal of the FHRUL to amend the Law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR Who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State has been denied
• Positive experience with the Latvian language classes in a Russian language school

Russian language newspapers publish critical responses of the European Parliament’s (EP) deputies to the letter of Juris Dobelis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK), an observer to the EP. The MPs consider the Saeima’s decision to recall Martjan Bekasov from the observer’s post as anti-democratic. According to the observer to the EP Boris Tsilevitch (People’s Harmony Party), the EP will ask the Saeima to review its decision on Bekasov’s recall.

Russian language newspapers publish critical responses of the European Parliaments (EP) deputies to the letter of Juris Dobelis (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK), an observer to the EP. The MPs consider the Saeimas decision to recall Martjan Bekasov from the observers post as anti-democratic. According to the observer to the EP Boris Tsilevitch (Peoples Harmony Party), the EP will ask the Saeima to review its decision on Bekasovs recall. Chas reports that EP Legal Affairs Committee has asked the EP President to send a letter to the Saemas speaker Ingrida Udre. The Committee considers raising the question about possible postponing of Latvias accession to EU. Chas, Telegraf

According to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russia’s State Council Dmitry Rogozin, Russian officials are planning to raise the question of monitoring minority situation in Latvia. Rogozin has promised to discuss this issue at the next session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Commenting the situation with the Russian school in Cesis to the Russian TV, the First Vice Speaker of Russia’s State Council Lyubov Sliska has stated that she is planning to raise the question about Russian schools’ situation with the NATO officials.

According to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russias State Council Dmitry Rogozin, Russian officials are planning to raise the question of monitoring minority situation in Latvia. Rogozin has promised to discuss this issue at the next session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Commenting the situation with the Russian school in Cesis to the Russian TV, the First Vice Speaker of Russias State Council Lyubov Sliska has stated that she is planning to raise the question about Russian schools situation with the NATO officials. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) session with the participation of representatives from the Council of Europe, where ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia has been discussed. Latvian representative to NATO PA Aleksandrs Kirsteins (The Peoples Party) has stated that mass naturalization would raise new integration problems. Kirsteins has also said that non-citizens who are not loyal to Latvia and do not want to learn Latvian language should have left Latvia after it regainined independence. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia has named the statements of Aleksandrs Kirsteins as uncivilized.

The Saeima Human Rights Committee and the Committee for the Citizenship Law’s Implementation have denied the proposal of the FHRUL to amend the law “On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR Who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State”. The FHRUL has proposed to cancel the norm stipulating that Latvia should be non-citizens’ permanent place of residence.

The Saeima Human Rights Committee and the Committee for the Citizenship Laws Implementation have denied the proposal of the FHRUL to amend the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR Who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State. The FHRUL has proposed to cancel the norm stipulating that Latvia should be non-citizens permanent place of residence. Vesti Segodnya

Chas prints an article about a positive experience of a Russian language school in Riga with the Latvian language classes. The experimental classes in the school have been opened eight years ago - long before the education reform. Children study in Latvian, but all extra-curriculum activities are in Russian.

• The President of Latvia on the naturalization process
• The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden considers Russias accusations to Latvia unjustified
• The Saeima Sub-Committee for Societal Integration will be established
• Martjan Bekasov is planning to submit a complaint to the Constitutional Court
• Teachers and parents of Cesis school students held a press conference in Riga
• The deputy chairman of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Urbanovitch about the draft party programme
• Vesti Segodnya on the prospects of amending the Citizenship Law
• Political scientist Janis Ikstens discusses the perspectives of Latvian-Russian relations

In the interview to

In the interview to Lauku Avize, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has discussed the slow naturalization process and the large number of non-citizens. The President believes that naturalization procedures requirements are justified. The President has also commented the judgment of the European Court for Human Rights in Slivenko case.

During her visit to Riga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Laila Freivalde has expressed her disagreement with Russia’s attempt of tying together the application of the EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to Latvia with the situation of Russian-speakers in the country. The Minister considers the recent Russia’s statements unjustified and believes that Russia has no impact on the EU enlargement process and the EU decisions. She hopes that Latvian-Russian relationships will improve after Latvia’s accession to the EU.

During her visit to Riga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Laila Freivalde has expressed her disagreement with Russias attempt of tying together the application of the EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to Latvia with the situation of Russian-speakers in the country. The Minister considers the recent Russias statements unjustified and believes that Russia has no impact on the EU enlargement process and the EU decisions. She hopes that Latvian-Russian relationships will improve after Latvias accession to the EU. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, lauku Avize, Telegraf

The Saeima Sub-Committee for Societal Integration will be established in order to examine the possibility of ratifying the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

The Saeima Sub-Committee for Societal Integration will be established in order to examine the possibility of ratifying the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Neatkariga Rita Avize

A MP for the Latvian Socialist Party Martjan Bekasov is planning to submit a complaint to the Constitutional Court about the recent Saeima’s decision to recall him from the status of an observer to the European Parliament.

A MP for the Latvian Socialist Party Martjan Bekasov is planning to submit a complaint to the Constitutional Court about the recent Saeimas decision to recall him from the status of an observer to the European Parliament. Chas

Yesterday a group of students’ parents and teachers of a Cesis Russian language school has held a press conference in Riga. The representatives of the School Rescue Committee have informed the local and foreign media about their demand of opening a first grade in the only Russian language school in Cesis in spite of the insufficient number of students. From 1998 to 2002, 45 schools have been closed, including 3 Latvian language schools, 12 two-stream schools and 20 Russian language schools. Newspapers print the proposal of the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools on establishing a lower ‘sufficient number’ of students necessary to open a class in schools implementing minority education programs. A letter from the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russia’s State Council  Dmitry Rogozin, responding to the situation with Cesis school, says that the true objective of Latvian officials is to eliminate Russian schools.

Yesterday a group of students parents and teachers of a Cesis Russian language school has held a press conference in Riga. The representatives of the School Rescue Committee have informed the local and foreign media about their demand of opening a first grade in the only Russian language school in Cesis in spite of the insufficient number of students. From 1998 to 2002, 45 schools have been closed, including 3 Latvian language schools, 12 two-stream schools and 20 Russian language schools. Newspapers print the proposal of the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools on establishing a lower ‘sufficient number of students necessary to open a class in schools implementing minority education programs. A letter from the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russias State Council Dmitry Rogozin, responding to the situation with Cesis school, says that the true objective of Latvian officials is to eliminate Russian schools. Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Chas

Chas interviews the deputy chairman of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Urbanovitch about the draft party programme to be adopted on the next partys session. The draft programme proposes the opportunities to grant Latvian citizenship to persons born in Latvia and those who have lived in Latvia for more than 10 years; promotion of naturalization and granting to non-citizens the right to vote at municipal elections; the establishment of the Department on National Minority Affairs in the Ministry of Education and Science.

Vesti Segodnya believes that the current government will not support the amendments to the Citizenship Law proposed by the Special Task Ministers for Societal Integration Secretariat and the Naturalization Board. The amendments stipulate opportunities to register Latvian citizenship for persons who have graduated from a basic or secondary school with Latvian language of instruction even if they have not completed the entire education process in Latvian.

Political scientist Janis Ikstenssummarizes his impressions from the seminar “Latvia – Russia: the New Cooperation Perspectives” which has recently took place in Moscow. Janis Ikstens considers Russia’s accusations to Latvia as a part of strategic action, not influenced by the pre-election campaign. He also believes that Russia will try to use Latvia’s EU membership to its own advantage. On the other hand, Latvia cannot expect that EU will always support Latvia’s stance because of the economic relationships between the EU states and Russia.

Political scientist Janis Ikstenssummarizes his impressions from the seminar Latvia – Russia: the New Cooperation Perspectives which has recently took place in Moscow. Janis Ikstens considers Russias accusations to Latvia as a part of strategic action, not influenced by the pre-election campaign. He also believes that Russia will try to use Latvias EU membership to its own advantage. On the other hand, Latvia cannot expect that EU will always support Latvias stance because of the economic relationships between the EU states and Russia. Lauku Avize

• The President of Latvia does not support granting rights to non-citizens to vote at municipal elections
• Parties Equality and BITE discuss their merger into the FHRUL party
• A competition of childrens drawings for promotion of tolerance and human rights
• Russian language school teachers invite colleagues to protest against education reform
• A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia comments on the recent EU-Russia Summit in Rome
• Representative of MFA of Russia about democracy in Latvia

In the reply letter to the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens (an NGO), the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that there is no need to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. According to the President’s Advisor on Legal Issues Sandra Kukule, these rights are not an obligatory legal norm in the EU, and non-citizens have the right to naturalize.

In the reply letter to the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens (an NGO), the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that there is no need to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. According to the Presidents Advisor on Legal Issues Sandra Kukule, these rights are not an obligatory legal norm in the EU, and non-citizens have the right to naturalize. Vechernaya Riga reviews the appeals of NGOs the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens and Civic Initiative – XXI to Latvian officials with a proposal to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. At the press conference, the NGOs leaders promised to continue their correspondence with authorities on this issue. Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

The party “Equality” (composed of around 400 members) and BITE (more than 60 members) are planning to discuss their merger into the unified party FHRUL in a conference. 

The party Equality (composed of around 400 members) and BITE (more than 60 members) are planning to discuss their merger into the unified party FHRUL in a conference. Lauku Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Special Task Minister’s for Social Integration Affairs Secretariat is planning a competition of children’s drawings to promote tolerance and human rights protection. The title of the competition is “Let’s be friends! We are different in Latvia!.”

The Special Task Ministers for Social Integration Affairs Secretariat is planning a competition of childrens drawings to promote tolerance and human rights protection. The title of the competition is Lets be friends! We are different in Latvia!. Lauku Avize

Russian language schoolteachers have initiated the idea of teachers’ uniting in the protest activities against 2004-education reform.

Russian language schoolteachers have initiated the idea of teachers uniting in the protest activities against 2004-education reform. Vechernaya Riga

Chas reports on statements of the official representative of the MFA of Russia Aleksandr Yakovenko to Russian media where he commented the recent EU-Russia Summit in Rome. According to the official, the EU is expecting from Latvia a flexible implementation of the switch of Russian language schools to Latvian language of instruction and observation of a legitimate public interest in the implementation of the State Language Law. In its turn, the Russian officials hope that fulfilling of international obligations in Latvia and Estonia will take place before the formal accession to the EU.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the director of the Second Department on the European Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia A.Udaltsov for a Russian journal Smisl (Sense). Udaltsov believes that there is a democratic deficit in Latvia because of the lack of voting rights of a large part of residents (who are not citizens). He also draws attention to Latvias ignoring recommendations of international organizations.

• Post-referendum applications for naturalisation have significantly increased
• Naturalization Boards draft amendments to the Citizenship Law discussed by parliamentarians

In October the Naturalization Board received 1371 applications for naturalization, almost doubling the amount of applications for the same period last year. According to the deputy head of the Naturalization Board Janis Kahanovics, the referendum on Latvia’s accession to the EU has promoted motivation of non-citizens to apply for citizenship, since their expectations of the referendum’s negative result have not been realized. Many of the naturalization applicants are middle-aged people with good Latvian language proficiency who could have applied for citizenship before.

In October the Naturalization Board received 1371 applications for naturalization, almost doubling the amount of applications for the same period last year. According to the deputy head of the Naturalization Board Janis Kahanovics, the referendum on Latvias accession to the EU has promoted motivation of non-citizens to apply for citizenship, since their expectations of the referendums negative result have not been realized. Many of the naturalization applicants are middle-aged people with good Latvian language proficiency who could have applied for citizenship before. Diena, Chas

Lauku Avize discusses the amendments to the Citizenship Law initiated by the Naturalization Board. The amendments stipulate opportunities to register Latvian citizenship for persons who have graduated from a basic or secondary school with Latvian language of instruction even if they have not completed the entire education in Latvian, as is foreseen in the present regulations. The chairperson of the Saeima Human Rights Committee Ina Druviete warns of possible misguided implementation of the Citizenship Law if the amendments will be adopted and calls for careful examination of the amendments. The chairperson of the Saeima Committee for Citizenship Laws Implementation Anta Rugate believes that there is no need to extend the opportunities of granting Latvian citizenship through registration.

• Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete on Latvian-Russian relations
• Discussion of German media criticism of Saeimas recall of Martjan Bekasov
• Vesti Segodnya about the letter of Juris Dobelis to the European Parliament
• Potential candidates for the European Parliament elections meet with school students

Telegraf interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Sandra Kalniete about the recent EU-Russia Summit in Rome and Latvian-Russian relations. The Minister believes that Russias statements hinder the social integration process in Latvia. She believes that the Latvian-Russian cooperation will improve after the elections of the Russias State Duma and the President.

Neatkariga Rita Avize discusses the critical response of influential German media to the Saeimas decision to recall Martjan Bekasov from the status of an observer to the European Parliament (EP). Politicians and journalists either point to the limitation of Bekasovs rights to express his opinions or consider Bekasovs criticisms of minority policies as justified.

Vesti Segodnya reports on the letter of Juris Dobelis, MP from For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK, to the EP where he explains the Saeima decision to recall Martjan Bekasov. The newspaper believes that after this letter the EP will urge the Saeima to reverse its decision.

Potential candidates to the European Parliament elections from the People’s Harmony Party, FHRUL, and New Era party have met with secondary school students in a Russian-language school.

Potential candidates to the European Parliament elections from the Peoples Harmony Party, FHRUL, and New Era party have met with secondary school students in a Russian-language school. Vesti Segodnya