• Opinion poll: 29% of residents are ready to sign for the initiative to grant Russian language the status of official in Latvia
• Administrative District Court of Riga satisfied the claim of Vladimirs Lindermans against the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs on refusal of naturalisation application
• Head of the Presidents State Language Commission believes that the MPs have the right to speak Latgalian at work

According to an opinion poll conducted by the TNS Latvia and the TV broadcast 900 seconds, 29% of economically active Latvian residents are planning to sign for amendments to the Constitution of Latvia granting Russian language the status of official in the country. The majority of the respondents willing to sign for support of the initiative are 18 to 29 years old, mostly residents of Riga and Latgale region (Eastern part of Latvia). As reported, yesterday, the Central Elections Committee began collection of signatures in support of the initiative. Chas

Diena reports that the Administrative District Court of Riga satisfied the claim of Vladimirs Lindermans against the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) on refusal to accept Lindermans application for naturalisation. The OCMA argued that Mr Lindermans has no right to apply for Latvian citizenship because he did not reside in Latvia during the last five years continuously. Mr Lindermans, in his turn, argued that the legal acts say that the applicant for naturalisation should reside in Latvia at least five years but the word continuously is not mentioned. The Court satisfied the claim and prescribed the OCMA to accept Lindermans application. Vladimirs Lindermans is a left wing activist known for his activities in support of Russian speakers and Russian language in Latvia. Mr Lindermans joined the Russian National Bolshevik party in 1997, became leader of the Latvian chapter, and resided illegally in Russia from 2002 until his extradition to Latvia in 2008.

Head of the Presidents State Language Commission Andreis Veisbergs believes that the MPs have the right to speak Latgalian at work if other MPs understand it. Issue of usage of Latgalian language became topical because recently several MPs spoke in it from the Saeimas tribune. Neatkariga

Neatkariga prints an interview with the Ombudsman Juris Jansons

MP Andrejs Judins: it is wrong to look at Russian speaking electorate trough ethnic prism

Neatkariga prints an interview with the Ombudsman Juris Jansons. According to Mr Jansons, the Ombudsmans Office analyses the new National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. The Ombudsman believes that there are many good issues written in the Guidelines, however, some of the elements look like assimilation not integration. The Ombudsman believes that assimilation is a wrong approach because it limits ethnic minorities in issues concerning their culture and identity. Commenting establishment of the governing coalition, Mr Jansons does not see direct ethnic discrimination in the fact that the Concord Centre was not included in the coalition explaining it by low level of political culture in Latvia.

MP, member of the Unity Andrejs Judins in an interview with

MP, member of the Unity Andrejs Judins in an interview with Chas states that there is a problem with attitude of so-called ethnic Latvian parties towards the electorate of the Concord Centre (CC). Mr Judins believes that it is wrong to look at Russian speaking voters trough ethnic prism and presumptions. However, Mr Judins does not support the inclusion of the CC in the governing coalition due to ideological principles of the party.

• Dissemination of information is the biggest challenge for collecting signatures for support of Russian as official language in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize reports about a complaint to the state language inspection about disrespectful attitude towards the state language

State funded collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official in Latvia starts on 1 November. One of the initiators of the action Vladimirs Lindermans says that the biggest challenge is to inform residents about the collection of signatures because there is no funding for it. Some NGOs and political organisations promised their support for the action. 153,000 signatures are required in order to launch the third stage of the initiative – national referendum. Telegraf

Latvijas Avize reports about a complaint to the state language inspection about disrespectful attitude towards the state language. According to the newspaper, a man turned to a private enterprise for consultation, however, its worker replied in Russian and refused to speak to the man in Latvian in a rude way. According to the head of the language control department of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis, there were some complaints about representatives of private companies who refuse to speak to clients in Latvian, but such cases are very hard to prove because when the language inspector comes to check the situation workers speak in a good Latvian.

• New Minister of Culture will not speak to mass media in Russian
• Functions on integration of the society will be divided among two ministries
• Two MPs speak from the Saeimas tribune in Latgalian

The new Minister of Culture Zanete Jaunzeme-Grende (member of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM) stated that she will speak to Russian language mass media only in Latvian. At the moment, the society integration issues are under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture.

The new Minister of Culture Zanete Jaunzeme-Grende (member of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM) stated that she will speak to Russian language mass media only in Latvian. At the moment, the society integration issues are under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. Vesti Segodnya

According to

According to Latvijas Avize, the functions of integration of the society will be divided among two ministries – the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and the Ministry of Culture (MC). According to the governments coalitions agreement, the MES will be responsible for integration on the ground of state language, while the MC, will work on integration on the ground of culture.

Two MPs Janis Tutins (Concord Centre) and Juris Vilums (Zatler’s Reforms Party) have spoken in Latgalian language from the Saeima’s tribune. The Saeima’s Speaker Solvita Aboltina made a remark to the MPs asking them to speak in literary Latvian language. The MP Vilums believes that Latgalian is an integral part of the state Latvian language and has equal value with it, therefore it can be used in official communication. However, officially Latgalian is considered as a historical type of Latvian language or its dialect and is not used in official communication and documents. There is no official statistics on how many Latvian residents consider Latgalian as their mother tongue because all the Latgalians are automatically registered as ethnic Latvians.

Two MPs Janis Tutins (Concord Centre) and Juris Vilums (Zatlers Reforms Party) have spoken in Latgalian language from the Saeimas tribune. The Saeimas Speaker Solvita Aboltina made a remark to the MPs asking them to speak in literary Latvian language. The MP Vilums believes that Latgalian is an integral part of the state Latvian language and has equal value with it, therefore it can be used in official communication. However, officially Latgalian is considered as a historical type of Latvian language or its dialect and is not used in official communication and documents. There is no official statistics on how many Latvian residents consider Latgalian as their mother tongue because all the Latgalians are automatically registered as ethnic Latvians. Telegraf

• The Saeima has approved the new government lead by the current Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis
• Board member of the Zatlers Reforms Party Vladimirs Makarovs: coalition negotiations helped breaking negative stereotypes about the Concord Centre

On 25 October 2011 the Saeima has approved the new government of Latvia. This is the third government lead by the current Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis within the last 32 months. The ruling coalition is formed by the Zatlers’ Reforms Party (16 MPs), the Unity (20 MPs) and the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement (14 MPs). The new government was approved by 57 MPs, while some observers point at fragility of the coalition formed by parties controlling 50 seats out of 100 seats in the parliament. Russian language newspapers note that Russian-speaking minority is not represented among the 14 ministers.

On 25 October 2011 the Saeima has approved the new government of Latvia. This is the third government lead by the current Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis within the last 32 months. The ruling coalition is formed by the Zatlers Reforms Party (16 MPs), the Unity (20 MPs) and the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement (14 MPs). The new government was approved by 57 MPs, while some observers point at fragility of the coalition formed by parties controlling 50 seats out of 100 seats in the parliament. Russian language newspapers note that Russian-speaking minority is not represented among the 14 ministers. Chas, Diena, Latvijas Avize, NRA, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Board member of the Zatlers’ Reforms Party Vladimirs Makarovs believes that inclusion of representatives supported by Russian-speaking voters would facilitate integration of society. Involvement of the Concord Centre into the process of negotiation about the new coalition helped to break negative stereotypes about that party. Mr.Makarovs emphasises that integration of society is one of priorities of the new government. Concerning reservation made by the nationalists’ union regarding commemoration of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires, Mr. Makarovs believes it is important that coalition agreement officially signed by all three partners, does not include this reservation.

Board member of the Zatlers Reforms Party Vladimirs Makarovs believes that inclusion of representatives supported by Russian-speaking voters would facilitate integration of society. Involvement of the Concord Centre into the process of negotiation about the new coalition helped to break negative stereotypes about that party. Mr.Makarovs emphasises that integration of society is one of priorities of the new government. Concerning reservation made by the nationalists union regarding commemoration of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires, Mr. Makarovs believes it is important that coalition agreement officially signed by all three partners, does not include this reservation. Vesti Segodnya