• MP Raivis Dzintars: 16 March should be granted status of official commemoration day again, while 9 May should become the day of mourning

According to the leader of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM, MP Raivis Dzintars, 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) should be granted the status of official commemoration day again, while 9 May (the Day of Victory over Nazism celebrated in many republics of the former Soviet Union) should become the day of mourning in Latvia and the nationalists’ union is planning to submit corresponding proposals to the Saeima. Mr Dzintars believes that for every normal ethnic Latvian 9 May symbolizes restoration of occupation and strongly traumatizes ethnic Latvians so they cannot feel as owners in this country. Mr Dzintars believes that every year, 9 May reminds that Latvia is still endangered and there are threats of Russification and huge number of the state’s enemies still resides here and they will betray Latvia at the first opportunity. Neatkariga

• Vesti Segodnya reports about collection of signatures for two petitions – for and against the demolition of the Monument for Soviet Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders

Vesti Segodnya reports about collection of signatures under the two petitions with contrary content. One of the petitions is for the demolition of the Monument for Soviet Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders, the second petition collects signatures for preservation of the Monument as it is a memory of the WWII veterans. Up to 25 February, the petition for demolition of the Monument collected 3,200 signatures, the other petition 3,376 signatures.

• The Security Police closed the case of “the list of occupants”
• Former child slaves still lack citizenship and status
• Sarmite Elerte calls the opponents of the Concord Centre to register their residence in Riga

 

The Security Police closed its investigations of the case of the publication of “the list of occupants”. In February 2010, a Latvian nationalist internet site published personal data of “disloyal” individuals, or “occupants” - a list of names, surnames, addresses and personal codes (identity numbers) of owners of cars decorated with St.George ribbons or Russian symbols. The case was closed, because the Security Police could not identify the individual, who forwarded the personal information gathered by the state agencies, to the publisher. As reported, the journalists of the newspaper Telegraf conducted independent investigation and most likely identified the publisher - ethnic Latvian man nicknamed “Courlander”, who lives in the U.S. (Iowa) and maintains an internet site featuring songs of Latvian Waffen SS legion and information about Latvian national partisans. Vesti Segodnya

 

Since the restoration of independence of the country in 1991, the former child slaves of the WWII still do not have Latvian citizenship and do not have the status of repressed persons. During the war, the children were enslaved by the Nazis, trafficked to the Salaspils camp, and later exploited as slave labour by the farmers. After the war, the former slave children had nowhere else to go and stayed in Latvia, because the Nazis destroyed their homes and exterminated their relatives in Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine. Vesti Segodnya

 

The candidate of the Unity to the post of the Mayor of Riga Sarmite Elerte calls the opponents of the Concord Centre to register their residence in Riga in order to ensure “the victory of the statist forces: … “Unity”, Reform Party and the National Union”. Vesti Segodnya

• Political scientist Kristians Rozenvalds: referendum on status of Russian language forced the government to pay attention to Latgale region

Political scientist Kristians Rozenvalds believes the referendum on the status of Russian language achieved one very good thing – it forced the government to elaborate a plan of support and development of the Latgale region (Eastern part of Latvia). According to Mr Rozenvalds, many of the Latgale residents who voted for granting Russian language the status of a state language in Latvia did it not because they really want such status for Russian language but did it as a protest for the poor economic situation in the region. Mr Rozenvalds also believes politicians are only talking about promotion of integration but actually don’t do anything to promote it. According to Mr Rozenvalds, the lack of actions in practice can also be seen as a positive factor, because acting on the basis of the existing integration plan, which does not foresee mutual process, would harm the society and promote greater ethnic tensions. Vesti Segodnya

• Vesti Segodnya reports about the first bilingual class in Riga
• Latvian libraries received a collection of books focusing on strengthening national identity and consolidation of the society
• Chief of State Police Ints Kuzis refused to review a claim submitted in Russian

Vesti Segodnya reports about the first bilingual class in Latvia in Riga. Children whose native languages are Latvian and Russian  study together in one class. Latvian speaking children learn Latvian according to the programme of schools with Latvian language of instruction and Russian speakers learn Russian according to programme of ethnic minority schools. Until  Grade 3, children study maths in their native language, while all other subjects are studied together. The bilingual class is a pilot project initiated by the Riga City Council.

In the framework of the society consolidation program, libraries in all Latvian regions received a collection of books focusing on the strengthening of national identity and consolidation of the society. The majority of the books are about the Latvian and the European history, but also include different research and collections of academic articles. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about the complaint about the Chief of the State Police Ints Kuzis as he refused to review a claim submitted in Russian. The claim was submitted by the mother of a detainee. She complained about the actions of the police at the moment of detention and asked to compensate the damages caused by the members of special force upon entering their apartment. The complainant received a reply that the State Police has left the claim without consideration as it is written in Russian.