• MPs did not support inclusion of the proposal on transition of all municipal kindergartens into Latvian language on the plenary session’s agenda
• Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks: service in foreign army is a betrayal of the own state
• Researcher compares celebration of 9 May by Russian speaking residents with “pride” of sexual minorities

Yesterday, the majority of the MPs did not support inclusion of the proposal on transition of all municipal kindergartens into Latvian language on the plenary session’s agenda. The draft amendments to the Education Law urgently prepared nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM stipulating transition of education in all municipal kindergartens into Latvian language only starting with 1 September 2014 gain support of the MPs from the Unity and the nationalists’ union. The main opponents of the proposal were the MPs from the governing coalition party Reforms Party and from the oppositional party Concord Centre. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize reports about the two scandals around a Latvian citizen who served in Russia’s Army and participation of young people from Latvia in an international youth military sports camp in Russia. Recently, one of the newspapers published an interview with the Latvian citizen who said that he applied to serve in Latvia’s army but was refused and therefore he applied for service in Russia’s army. Commenting this case, the Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks stated that Latvian citizens have no right to serve in foreign armies and the oath to the other state means betrayal of the own state. According to Latvijas Avize, the case with the participation of young people in the Russia’s military camp also is about the loyalty to the state because these young people have signed a decree according to which, in case of a conflict in the states where participants of the camp come from they will rush for rescue one another. Head of the Latvian Recruiting and Youth Guard Centre who was aware of the camp and allowed the young people to use uniforms of Latvian recruits after the scandal resigned from the post.

In an interview with Latvijas Avize, researcher of social memory Martins Kaprans compares celebration of 9 May or Victory day by Russian speaking residents in Latvia with “pride” of sexual minorities. Mr Kaprans believes that in such way Russian speakers publicly show their pride about their identity and their existence. Thus 9 May, primarily, becomes a self-affirmations creating foundation for collective memory and self-esteem.

• Elections to the Parliament of Unrepresented will go on several days

Latvijas Avize reports that the Congress of Non-Citizens will launch the elections to the Parliament of Unrepresented on 25May on the Internet and from 1 June to 11 June at the “polling stations” in different Latvian cities. As reported, these elections will be held at the same time as municipal elections on 1 June. Head of the Central Elections Committee Arnis Cimdars refused to comment the elections to the Parliament of Unrepresented as it is a political initiative. Advisor of the Minister of Justice Janis Tomelis, in his turn, stated that the Congress misleads people calling their elections as “universal elections” because only state can organise universal elections but the Parliament of Unrepresented is just a structure of the Congress.

• Person sentenced to seven months of suspended imprisonment for hate speech online
• Nationalists prepared draft amendments stipulating transition of education in all municipal kindergartens into Latvian language only

The court sentenced a man to seven months of suspended imprisonment and seven months of probation period for justification of crimes against humanity and instigation of ethnic hatred. The convicted person commented in writing a video about burning of Latvian flag on an internet portal youtube.com: “big part of local residents fully deserved deportations. It was proved in 1941-1943 when more than 10% of Latvian residents showed up to be fascist degenerates. And it means, from the point of view of the USSR, deportations were not only justified but those were even too liberal.” The man also published other insulting statements towards ethnic Latvians. The man pleaded guilty and agreed with the prosecutor about the punishment. Latvijas Avize

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM has urgently prepared draft amendments to the Education Law stipulating transition of education in all municipal kindergartens into Latvian language only starting with 1 September 2014. The proposal is to be discussed today at the governing coalition’s meeting. In its pre-election campaign to the Riga City Council, the nationalists’ union promised to reduce long queues to the Latvian language kindergartens in Riga by transition of education in all kindergartens including minority into Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Party "For Native Language" collects signatures for obligatory provision of instructions in Russian language to medications sold in Latvia
• Court accepted a claim on refusal to write original spelling of a child’s name in the birth certificate

Vesti Segodnya reports about a collection of signatures initiated by a member of the political party For Native Language Illarions Girs supporting obligatory provision of instructions in Russian language to medications sold in Latvia. At present, the legal acts stipulate obligatory instructions in Latvian language only.  According to the initiator of the proposal, instructions to medications provide very important information for people and misunderstanding about the usage of medications can cause serious damage to health. Thus, Russian speaking residents are subjected to higher risk of damage to health due to wrong usage of medication. The signatures are collected through the platform of public initiatives manabalss.lv.

The Liepaja Administrative Court accepted a claim against the Civil Registry Office who refused to issue a birth certificate with undistorted spelling of the name and surname of a newborn child. The parents gave their child traditional Russian name "Miron" and wanted to write it in the birth certificate without Latvian ending "–s" as it makes the name consonant with the word “mironis” which means “dead man” in Latvian language. Due to the absence of the birth certificate parents cannot officially register the child in order to receive benefits, health care, join the queue for kindergarten. Vesti Segodnya

 

• Security Police initiated a criminal proceeding against a local journalist who interviewed people about the draft amendments banning the usage of Soviet symbols
• Neatkariga prints an interview with the professor of the University of Latvia Vita Zelce about the genesis of 9 May in Latvia

 Vesti Segodnya reports that the Security Police initiated a criminal proceeding against a local journalist Andrejs Hromcovs accusing him of organisation of mass disorders and provocations on 9 May. According to Mr Hromcovs, he was filming a video story for a Russia’s TV about 9 May (unofficial celebration of the end of WWII or Victory Day) in Latvia and interviewed people about their opinion regarding the draft amendments banning usage of Soviet symbolic at public events. On the next day, Mr Hromcovs was called to the Security Police and asked about his conversation with people and plans, and later was accused of planning provocations on 9 May.  According to the Security Police, the journalist was planning provocations involving foreign mass media which would report about provocations with an aim to discredit Latvia.

Neatkariga prints an interview with the professor of the University of Latvia Vita Zelce about the genesis of 9 May and presence of the past today in Latvia. According to Mrs Zelce, wide celebration of 9 May or Victory Day today in Latvia in connected with the policy of the present President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin regarding history, including aspect on strengthening of Russians’ identity and policy towards neighbour countries. Mrs Zelce believes that the 9 May is more or less directed by politicians and through this celebration specific ideology is being strengthened. Lack of intellectuals, lack of knowledge and carelessness in the intellectual area prevent Latvia of creating its own comprehension about the past and the presence of the past today.