• Chas reports about a project Establishment of Resource Centre for Ukrainians

Chas reports about a project Establishment of Resource Centre for Ukrainians aimed at adaptation of Ukrainian migrants in Latvia implemented by NGO Dialogi.lv funded by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals. The resource centre was opened in September 2009 and granted support to 69 Ukrainians. Part of those took Latvian language courses, others courses on improvement of professional qualifications.

• Latvijas Avize analyzes statement made by the President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedyev who declared that Russia will support Russian language mass media abroad

Latvijas Avize analyzes statement made by the President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedyev who declared that Russia will support Russian language mass media abroad. According to Latvijas Avize, financial support to Russian language media in Latvia will bring Russias propaganda and endanger information space. Head of the Saeimas Human Rights and Social Affairs Committee Ingrida Circene considers that all foreign activities which lower national self-confidence of ethnic Latvians should be limited. Mrs. Circene does not think that all foreign financial support should be limited, yet she believes that the aims of foreign funding should be specified.

• State Language Centre will continue inspections for state language proficiency of municipal deputies in 2010
• Nationalistically-minded ethnic Latvian teachers united in union which demands for full transition of all state funded schools to teaching in Latvian language

 

According to the head of the Language Control Department of the State Language Centre (SLC) Antons Kursitis, the Centre will continue inspections for state language proficiency of municipal deputies in 2010. The SLC already punished several municipal deputies for insufficient state language proficiency since 1 September 2009. According to Mr. Kursitis, recent inspections in the Jurmala and Riga City Councils did not reveal any violations because the deputies named in complaints received by the SLC have sufficient language proficiency. Chas

Vesti Segodnya reports that nationalistically-minded ethnic Latvian teachers united in union which demands for full transition of all state funded schools to teaching in Latvian language. The union considers that if such principle will be implemented in kindergartens in three years it will be possible to implement it in primary schools and in other three years in elementary schools.

• Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris: question asked in the broadcast Un-censored was sharp but quite acceptable for democratic country

Commenting decision of the National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) to fine Channel TV5 for humiliation of national honour and dignity, director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris states that question asked in the broadcast “Un-censored” was sharp but quite acceptable for democratic country because freedom of speech is one of the basic values. Mrs. Brands Kehris believes that the question did not predetermine ethnic belonging of opinion poll’s voters and people of various ethnic backgrounds could voice their opinion about the issue. As reported, viewers of TV5 live broadcast “Un-censored” on 18 November were asked: “What was Latvia’s acquisition of independence?” and one of the offered answers was “it was a fatal mistake.” The NRTC considered that such question is inappropriate and fined TV5 with LVL1000 (EUR 1422)

Commenting decision of the National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) to fine Channel TV5 for humiliation of national honour and dignity, director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris states that question asked in the broadcast Un-censored was sharp but quite acceptable for democratic country because freedom of speech is one of the basic values. Mrs. Brands Kehris believes that the question did not predetermine ethnic belonging of opinion polls voters and people of various ethnic backgrounds could voice their opinion about the issue. As reported, viewers of TV5 live broadcast Un-censored on 18 November were asked: What was Latvias acquisition of independence? and one of the offered answers was it was a fatal mistake. The NRTC considered that such question is inappropriate and fined TV5 with LVL1000 (EUR 1422) Telegraf

• National Radio and Television Council fined Channel TV5 with LVL 1,000 for insult of national honour and dignity
• Study: guest workers in Latvia earn bigger salaries than domestic workers for the same job
• Mayor of Riga City Council Nils Usakovs met with former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires

The National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) fined Channel TV5 with LVL 1,000 (EUR 1,422) for insult of national honour and dignity. As reported, the NRTC drew up administrative protocol against a presenter of TV5 broadcast “Un-censored” Andrejs Mamikins after complaints about one-sided questions in the 18 November broadcast’s TV viewers’ opinion poll. The NRTC also forwarded the case to the Prosecutor’s Office asking it to check whether incitement to ethnic hatred took place. TV5 is planning to dispute the NRTC’s decision in the court and to sue the NRTC for insult of Andrejs Mamikins’ honour and dignity. TV5 also accuses the NRTC of pressuring mass media and infringing the freedom of speech and demands for liquidation of the NRTC.

The National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) fined Channel TV5 with LVL 1,000 (EUR 1,422) for insult of national honour and dignity. As reported, the NRTC drew up administrative protocol against a presenter of TV5 broadcast Un-censored Andrejs Mamikins after complaints about one-sided questions in the 18 November broadcasts TV viewers opinion poll. The NRTC also forwarded the case to the Prosecutors Office asking it to check whether incitement to ethnic hatred took place. TV5 is planning to dispute the NRTCs decision in the court and to sue the NRTC for insult of Andrejs Mamikins honour and dignity. TV5 also accuses the NRTC of pressuring mass media and infringing the freedom of speech and demands for liquidation of the NRTC. Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Diena

According to a study on establishment of integration system for third country nationals conducted by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences, guest workers in Latvia earn bigger salaries than domestic workers for the same job. The effective rules of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulate minimum wages for foreigners: LVL 480 (EUR 683) for specialists and LVL 960 (EUR 1366) for managers. According to the study, the average wage of foreign managers is around LVL 800 (EUR 1138), while the average wage of domestic managers is under LVL 400 (EUR 569). Senior foreign specialists earn about LVL 500 (EUR 711), while domestic senior specialists – under LVL 400 (EUR 569).

According to a study on establishment of integration system for third country nationals conducted by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences, guest workers in Latvia earn bigger salaries than domestic workers for the same job. The effective rules of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulate minimum wages for foreigners: LVL 480 (EUR 683) for specialists and LVL 960 (EUR 1366) for managers. According to the study, the average wage of foreign managers is around LVL 800 (EUR 1138), while the average wage of domestic managers is under LVL 400 (EUR 569). Senior foreign specialists earn about LVL 500 (EUR 711), while domestic senior specialists – under LVL 400 (EUR 569). Diena

Latvijas Avize reports that the Mayor of Riga City Council Nils Usakovs met with representatives of the Association of Latvian National Warriors which unites former Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. According to a representative of the Association, conversation with the Mayor was mostly about social help to members of the organisation and did not touch political issues and 16 March events (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires.)