• Vesti Segodnya reports about Vladimirs Buzajevs’ research “Legal Situation of Russian Speaking Minority in Latvia”
• MP Valerijs Agesins repeatedly received threatening e-mail from extremist organisation “Tautas Tribunals”
• Latgalian activist highlights the problems and advocates autonomy for Latgale

Vesti Segodnya reports about a research “Legal Situation of Russian Speaking Minority in Latvia” conducted by the ex-MP Vladimirs Buzajevs. According Mr Buzajevs, the research proves that the situation of Russian speakers during the past 22 years has substantially worsened.  Mr Buzajevs analysed data concerning demography, language, education, culture, citizenship and social-economical area. Thus, Mr Buzajevs believes there is a policy of "squeezing out" the representatives of national minorities, because the total population losses among national minorities are five times bigger than the population losses among ethnic Latvians. According to Mr Buzajevs, ethnic minorities comparing with ethnic Latvian more often face unemployment (especially long-term) and have lower salaries (on average 8%). Also, according to Mr Buzajevs, legal discrimination reduced the pensions of 1/3 of ethnic minority pensioners, resulting in the total loss of 140 mln Lats (200 mln Euros).

The MP Valerijs Agesins repeatedly received an insulting and threatening e-mail from the extremist organisation “Tautas Tribunals” (People’s Tribunal – in English). Like the previous e-mail this one also contains Russophobic epithets and threats to life addressed personally to Mr Agesins. As reported, couple of weeks ago all the MPs received e-mail from “Tautas Tribunals” with insulting statements to a number of politicians, many Russophobic and anti-Semitic epithets and, in particularly, abusive to Mr Agesins. In both cases, the MP turned to the Security Police asking to initiate a criminal proceeding on incitement to ethnic hatred and threats to life of a state official. Vesti Segodnya

In an interview with Vesti-Segodnya, Latgalian activist highlighted some problems facing Latgale (region in eastern Latvia) – unemployment, disruption of economic ties across the border, depopulation, unfair distribution of investment, denial of Latgalian language in schools and administration. He advocates for autonomy of the region.

• MP Janis Upenieks: state institutions should publish IP addresses of internet users who incite ethnic hatred
• Neatkariga: rectors of some higher education establishments have insufficient state language proficiency

The MP Janis Upenieks (Free Democrats) stated that the state institutions should publish IP addresses of internet users who incite ethnic hatred. Mr Upeniekes stated that there are many insulting and anti-national expressions which are inadmissible in public space. According to Mr Upenieks: “reading comments on the Internet, especially on Russian language portals, I have unpleasant feeling that authors of such comments most likely live in Latvia.” Vesti Segodnya

According to Neatkariga, despite the fact that the academic personnel of the Latvian higher education establishments are required to be proficient in Latvian language to the highest level of proficiency, some of the foreign rectors still are not as proficient in Latvian as required. There are two private higher education establishments headed by the foreign rectors with insufficient state language proficiency level, however, no sanctions are applied to them. According to the head of the control department of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis, study process in these education establishments is conducted mostly in English and the majority of students are foreigners, so damage caused to the interests of Latvian language is comparatively small, and besides that, there are regulations which permit such situation. Representatives of the mentioned higher education establishments explained that the rectors promised to learn the language and take private lessons to learn it but so far they use interpreters when needed. Neatkariga also reports that the Ministry of Education and Science is currently developing the draft law easing the requirement for state language proficiency for foreign academic personnel.

• Founding meeting of the Congress of Non-citizens held on 23 March
• Nationalists’ union withdrew its demand for the resignation of the Minister of Interior

A founding meeting of the Congress of Non-citizens was held on Saturday, 23 March in Riga. According to the founders of the Congress, it will work as non-governmental organisation representing interests of Latvian non-citizens. The aim of the Congress is to liquidate the institute of non-citizenship in Latvia. The Congress is planning to hold the alternative elections to the “parliament of not represented” on 1 June (the same day as the official municipal elections) which will represent “those who pay taxes but cannot take part in the political life.” The alternative parliament will include citizens and non-citizens. About 400 persons took part in the founding meeting and about 2,000 registered on its web site as supporters of the Congress. Commenting the establishment of the Congress of Non-citizens a candidate for the Mayor of Riga Sarmite Elerte (Unity) stated that such movement is a political project which has very little with a real desire to help non-citizens.

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM withdrew its demand for the resignation of the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis. The nationalists’ union demanded for the resignation of the Minister blaming him for alleged police inability to maintain public order during 16 March events in Riga (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires.) However, the Minister has publicly apologised to the legionnaires and their supporters for the disturbances caused to the procession by the protest action of the anti-fascists. The nationalists’ union accepted the apologies and requested the Minister to elaborate a legal mechanism how to prevent such situation in future. The nationalists’ union also stated it wants to see from the police the same firmness on the 9 May events. Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis publicly apologised to Latvian legionnaires
• Ainars Latkovskis will not resign yet
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about the Congress of Non-citizens
• Vesti Segodnya reports about inspections on state language proficiency in Riga kindergartens

 

The Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis publicly apologised to the members of the procession commemorating Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires on 16 March. The Minister recognised that the loud noise produced by the anti-fascists insulted and disturbed the members of the procession.  The Minister also stated that it is important to create a legal mechanism how to prevent such situation in future. Following the Minister’s apologies, the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM is considering to withdraw its demand for the resignation of the Minister. Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Society Consolidation Committee gave a vote of confidence to its head Ainars Latkovskis and persuaded him to stay on the post at least until the summer break. As reported, Mr Latkovskis wanted to resign from the post of the head of the Committee due to a pressure from coalition and opposition MPs who pushed him during the session to reveal how he will vote regarding the proposal to grant 16 March status of official commemoration day of Latvian legionnaires. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the Congress of Non-citizens – a movement which plans to be the official representative of non-citizens or “parliament of not represented”. The Congress of Non-citizens will hold its founding session on 23 March. On 1 June – the day of municipal elections - the activists are planning to organise parallel elections to the Congress. According to the information provided by the Security Police to the newspaper, the Congress most likely will be used for wider expansion of activities around issues concerning non-citizens and create political and society tensions. The Speaker of the Saeima Solvita Aboltina believes that the Congress activities might be provocative and hinder non-citizens from learning of Latvian language, integrating in the society and demanding for privileged status. According to the Advisor to the Minister of Justice Janis Tomels, plans of the Congress to conduct protest actions, including on 18 November – Independence Day – show that it is anti-state organisation which does not respect Latvian state.

Vesti Segodnya reports about inspections on state language proficiency in Riga kindergartens. Deputies of the oppositional party Unity discussed with the Committee on Education, Culture and Sports of the Riga City Council and representatives of kindergartens problem with insufficient state language proficiency by the teachers. According to the information presented by the State Language Centre, the inspections identified 36 workers of preschool education establishments with insufficient level of state language. The majority of them attend the courses improving the language proficiency but some retired. Representatives of the kindergartens complained to the Committee about the shortage of personnel as the main reason mentioning low salary.   

• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the MPs of the nationalists’ union Raivis Dzintars and Janis Dombrava about 16 March events
• Director of the Research Centre of Eastern European Policy wants to stop broadcasts of Russian TV channels in Latvia

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the MPs of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM Raivis Dzintars and Janis Dombrava about 16 March events (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires.) Both believe that the Riga City Council is responsible for provocations during the 16 March events as it allowed the anti-fascists’ event take place simultaneously with the procession of the commemoration of Latvian legionnaires. As reported, in protest against the procession the anti-fascists put up stands with photos of Nazi war crimes, and when the procession approached the Monument of Freedom turned on a siren, and then played a Soviet-era memorial song “Buchenwald Alarm”.  After that, they listed Nazi crimes through megaphone. The activities provoked the participants of the procession, including both the MPs, who attempted to remove stands and sound equipment. According to MP Dombrava he tore the poster in order to get to the loudspeakers.  Mr Dombrava publicly expressed regret about what he had said to the police officer (“Move back or you will no longer work [as police officer]”) who prevented him from getting  to the loudspeakers. MP Dzintars thought it  important to ensure that future commemoration of Latvian legionnaires on 16 March goes undisturbed by other events. After the events, the nationalists’ union demanded the resignation of the Minister of Interior blaming him for alleged police inability to maintain public order.

Director of the Research Centre of Eastern European Policy Andis Kudors stated that the operator of the digital television “Lattelecom” (one of the largest telecommunication providers) should exclude Russia’s TV channels from its package. He believes that Russia’s TV negatively impacts the situation in Latvia as Russia uses those as its foreign policy tool. Vesti Segodnya