• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Ombudsman Romans Apsitis. According to the Ombudsman, funding for next year for the Ombudsmans Office will be LVL 558,901 (EUR 795,244), or 57% less than in 2009. Due to the cut of funding the Ombudsman will be forced to decrease number of employed lawyers and renounce various working plans for 2010.

• National Security Committee did not support the draft amendments to the Immigration Law which stipulated Latvias temporary residency permits for foreign investors

The Saeima’s Committee on Defence, Interior and Corruption did not support the draft amendments to the Immigration Law which stipulated granting Latvia’s temporary residency permits for foreign investors. Member of the Committee, MP Karlis Sadurskis (Civic Union) does not support idea to grant residency permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia because there are no differences in tax payment whether the real estate owner is foreigner or Latvian citizen. But if a foreigner will bring to Latvia his family members they all must be granted social benefits. At the same Mr. Sadurskis supports the proposal to grant residency permit for foreigners who make investments in Latvian economy but in amount much higher than LVL 10,000 (EUR 14,228). As reported, the proposed draft amendments to the Immigration Law stipulated that foreigners who bought real estate in Latvia for more than LVL 50,000 (EUR 71,143) or invested not less than LVL 10,000 (EUR 14,228) in basic capital of enterprises and ensured at least three vacancies have the right to receive residency permit for 5 years in Latvia.

The Saeimas Committee on Defence, Interior and Corruption did not support the draft amendments to the Immigration Law which stipulated granting Latvias temporary residency permits for foreign investors. Member of the Committee, MP Karlis Sadurskis (Civic Union) does not support idea to grant residency permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia because there are no differences in tax payment whether the real estate owner is foreigner or Latvian citizen. But if a foreigner will bring to Latvia his family members they all must be granted social benefits. At the same Mr. Sadurskis supports the proposal to grant residency permit for foreigners who make investments in Latvian economy but in amount much higher than LVL 10,000 (EUR 14,228). As reported, the proposed draft amendments to the Immigration Law stipulated that foreigners who bought real estate in Latvia for more than LVL 50,000 (EUR 71,143) or invested not less than LVL 10,000 (EUR 14,228) in basic capital of enterprises and ensured at least three vacancies have the right to receive residency permit for 5 years in Latvia. Telegraf

• Rectors of the biggest Latvian universities call to stop monopoly of Latvian language in state higher education establishments
• Adoption of the state budget for 2010 most probably will be accompanied by aggressive ethnic rhetoric because the Citizenship Law will have to be amended
• Number of working permits issued in 2009 to guest workers decreased significantly

Rectors of the biggest Latvian universities call to stop monopoly of Latvian language in state higher education establishments. Rector of the University of Latvia Marcis Auzins believes that the Latvian State Language Law became an “iron curtain” which hinders development of the country as a whole and higher education in particularly. Mr. Auzins   considers that studies in Russian language would attract many students from former Soviet Union republics who speak Russian. Mr. Auzins also criticizes requirement for highest level of state language proficiency for candidates for the post of the professor of the university because it hinders attraction of foreign professors for permanent work in Latvia. According the rector of the Stradina University Jans Gardovskis, it is absurd that local students can receive education in state higher education establishments only in Latvian language. Mr. Gardovskis believes that the university could gain good income if local students who want to study in Russian in paid groups would have such chance.

Rectors of the biggest Latvian universities call to stop monopoly of Latvian language in state higher education establishments. Rector of the University of Latvia Marcis Auzins believes that the Latvian State Language Law became an iron curtain which hinders development of the country as a whole and higher education in particularly. Mr. Auzins considers that studies in Russian language would attract many students from former Soviet Union republics who speak Russian. Mr. Auzins also criticizes requirement for highest level of state language proficiency for candidates for the post of the professor of the university because it hinders attraction of foreign professors for permanent work in Latvia. According the rector of the Stradina University Jans Gardovskis, it is absurd that local students can receive education in state higher education establishments only in Latvian language. Mr. Gardovskis believes that the university could gain good income if local students who want to study in Russian in paid groups would have such chance. Vesti Segodnya

According to the newspapers, adoption of the state budget for 2010 most probably will be accompanied by aggressive ethnic rhetoric because the Citizenship Law will have to be amended in order to reorganise the Naturalisation Board. The Citizenship Law has not been amended since 1998. Representatives of the Saeima’s Latvian nationalistic party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and so-called “pro-Russian” parties For Human Rights in United Latvia and the Concord Centre interviewed by the newspapers stated that probably they will prepare various amendments to the citizenship law and submit them for revision in the Saeima.

According to the newspapers, adoption of the state budget for 2010 most probably will be accompanied by aggressive ethnic rhetoric because the Citizenship Law will have to be amended in order to reorganise the Naturalisation Board. The Citizenship Law has not been amended since 1998. Representatives of the Saeimas Latvian nationalistic party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM and so-called pro-Russian parties For Human Rights in United Latvia and the Concord Centre interviewed by the newspapers stated that probably they will prepare various amendments to the citizenship law and submit them for revision in the Saeima. Telegraf, Diena, NRA

Number of working permits issued to guest workers in Latvia in 2009 decreased almost three times comparing to 2008 and 2007. 993 working permits were issued during 9 months of 2009 as compared to 3113 permits issued in 2007. According to a representative of the State Employment Agency, the main reason for little demand for guest workers is hard economical situation in the country and decrease in manufacturing and services sectors.

Number of working permits issued to guest workers in Latvia in 2009 decreased almost three times comparing to 2008 and 2007. 993 working permits were issued during 9 months of 2009 as compared to 3113 permits issued in 2007. According to a representative of the State Employment Agency, the main reason for little demand for guest workers is hard economical situation in the country and decrease in manufacturing and services sectors. Telegraf

• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM: primary and secondary education should be only in Latvian language
• Concord Centre: merger of the Naturalisation Board and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs might hinder naturalisation process
• Russias State Duma discussed problems of Russian compatriots in Baltic States

Party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) is planning to form a working group to elaborate proposals for gradual transition of primary and secondary education into Latvian language only.  The FF/LNIM considers that only full transition of education in state language can solve the integration problems in Latvia.

Party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) is planning to form a working group to elaborate proposals for gradual transition of primary and secondary education into Latvian language only. The FF/LNIM considers that only full transition of education in state language can solve the integration problems in Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Concord Centre considers that merger of the Naturalisation Board and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs might hinder naturalisation process. According to a member of the party, the MP Boriss Cilevics, reorganisation of the Naturalisation Board is a signal to the society that the state is curtailing integration programs

The Concord Centre considers that merger of the Naturalisation Board and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs might hinder naturalisation process. According to a member of the party, the MP Boriss Cilevics, reorganisation of the Naturalisation Board is a signal to the society that the state is curtailing integration programs. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday the Russia’s State Duma discussed problems of Russian compatriots in the Baltic States and the case of former Red Partisan Vasilijs Kononovs. The MPs criticized prosecutions on WWII veterans in Latvia and Estonia and the fact that large number of residents still does not have citizenship. The Vice Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovskiy stated that if Latvia does not need ethnic Russians as citizens, Russia is entitled to propose ceding to Russia territories inhabited by Russian-speakers.

Yesterday the Russias State Duma discussed problems of Russian compatriots in the Baltic States and the case of former Red Partisan Vasilijs Kononovs. The MPs criticized prosecutions on WWII veterans in Latvia and Estonia and the fact that large number of residents still does not have citizenship. The Vice Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovskiy stated that if Latvia does not need ethnic Russians as citizens, Russia is entitled to propose ceding to Russia territories inhabited by Russian-speakers. Chas

• Belgium newspaper La Libre Belgique published a critical article about Latvia honouring former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires
• Telegraf: merger of the Naturalisation Board and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs might slow down naturalisation and have other more negative consequences
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about movement of Russias compatriots in Latvia
• State Language Centre punished several deputies of Daugavpils and Rezekne City Councils for insufficient state language proficiency

Vesti Segodnya reports that Belgium newspaper La Libre Belgique published a critical article about Latvia honouring former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. Reporter of the Belgium newspaper visited three Latvian museums – Museum of Occupation, Museum of War, and Museum of History of Latvian Jews. According to Vesti Segodnya, the reporter was shocked by the level of involvement in the Nazi war machine and stated that respectful attitude towards those who directly or indirectly contributed to mass extermination of Jews, prisoners of war and civil population should not be permissible in the European society.

According to the

According to the Telegraf, merger of the Naturalisation Board (NB) and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) might slow down naturalisation and have other more negative consequences. According to a representative of the NB, officials of the NB do not have clear picture about the merger because it happens very hastily and secretly. The representative believes that the merger is not well justified because in the end the state will save only LVL 100,000 (EUR 142,287) and there is no confidence about the OCMAs ability to implement the functions of the Naturalisation Board

Latvijas Avize prints an article about movement of Russias compatriots in Latvia. According to the newspaper, the movement propagates anti-governmental ideas and it is sponsored by Russia and possibly managed by Russian special services. Head of the Eastern European Policy Research Centre considers that the movement becomes better organised and managed and uses new tactics trying to find among representatives of ethnic Latvian intelligentsia those who share their ideas such as granting non-citizens voting rights.

The State Language Centre punished several deputies of Daugavpils and Rezekne City Councils for insufficient state language proficiency. The deputies are fined with LVL 25 – 50 (EUR 36 – 71) and given five months to improve their language proficiency.

The State Language Centre punished several deputies of Daugavpils and Rezekne City Councils for insufficient state language proficiency. The deputies are fined with LVL 25 – 50 (EUR 36 – 71) and given five months to improve their language proficiency. Diena