• Security Police: skinheads do not represent a threat to national security
• Action reminding about situation of non-citizens planned to be held on 4 May

According to an annual report of the Security Police, Latvian skinheads do not represent a threat to national security, because they are not united, disorganised, and have no permanent ties with organisations and persons in other countries. The active skinheads are mostly young people using Internet as their main tool for spread of radical ideology. The Security Police initiated 12 criminal proceedings on incitement to ethnic hatred in 2011. The majority of the alleged violations were made on the Internet. Vesti Segodnya

An NGO “For Honesty and Justice” calls Latvian non-citizens to lay flowers tied with violet (colour of non-citizens’ passport) ribbon and title “Aliens are coming” and “In EU we trust” to the Monument of Latvia on 4 May – the day of restoration of Latvian independence. By such action the activists of the NGO want to remind that non-citizens still do not enjoy full rights. Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of the nationalists’ union sold real estate to non-EU citizens

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Minister of Culture Zanete Jaunzeme-Grende sold real estate in Riga to two third-country nationals, who now have the right to ask for residence permit in Latvia trough easier procedure. The newspaper notes that the Minister is a member of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM who recently proposed to strike off the article from the Immigration Law which stipulates granting residence permits to foreigners who possess real estate in Latvia or made large investments in economy. The nationalists label this practice as “selling residence permits” and call to terminate it.

• MP Janis Urbanovics: society should consolidate around a common aim
• Council on Electronic Mass Media also initiated case regarding a news story about events on 16 March in Riga broadcasted on the First Baltic Channel

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the MP, leader of the Concord Centre Janis Urbanovics. Mr Urbanovics believes that the most successful model of consolidation of society is to unite around a common aim. Such aim could be a prosperous independent country member of the EU and the NATO. According to Mr Urbanovics, the Big Cleanup Day is a good example of consolidation of the society when ethnic Latvian and Russian neighbours together clean up the area where they live. Mr Urbanovics believes that it is wrong to assimilate or isolate Russian speakers; instead Latvia should encourage their respect towards ethnic Latvians and expression of their own will to learn the language and to become citizens.

The Council on Electronic Mass Media initiated an administrative case regarding a news story about events on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) in Riga broadcasted on the First Baltic Channel. Earlier, following a complaint alleging that the same news story is biased, provocative and reflects distorted facts with an aim to negative image of Latvia, the Security Police initiated criminal proceedings on incitement to ethnic hatred.

The Council on Electronic Mass Media initiated an administrative case regarding a news story about events on 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) in Riga broadcasted on the First Baltic Channel. Earlier, following a complaint alleging that the same news story is biased, provocative and reflects distorted facts with an aim to negative image of Latvia, the Security Police initiated criminal proceedings on incitement to ethnic hatred. Latvijas Avize

• Nationalists union calls the Council of Electronic Mass Media to pay more attention on how mass media report about issues important for Latvia and ethnic Latvians
• High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE Knut Vollebaek is planning to visit Latvia

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM calls the Council of Electronic Mass Media to pay more attention on how mass media report about issues important for Latvia and ethnic Latvians. Particularly, the nationalists’ union considers that quite often there are cases of cynic attitude towards values important for ethnic Latvians and historical events in Russian language mass media.

The nationalists union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM calls the Council of Electronic Mass Media to pay more attention on how mass media report about issues important for Latvia and ethnic Latvians. Particularly, the nationalists union considers that quite often there are cases of cynic attitude towards values important for ethnic Latvians and historical events in Russian language mass media. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize reports the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Knut Vollebaek is planning to visit Latvia in July. Last time the Commissioner visited Latvia in February 2011. Then, the High Commissioner acknowledged that Latvia has improved integration of ethnic minorities but also called to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections.

• OSCE/ODIHR presented its report and recommendations for Latvia
• Cabinet of Ministers sent a response letter to the UN Human Rights Committee about the case of Raihman v. Latvia
• President of Latvia Andris Berzins does not support granting citizenship to all non-citizens automatically
• Presidents Council on Ethnic Minorities discussed with students and pupils consolidation of society

Representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe /the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) who observed voting process at the Saeima’s snap elections in September 2011 repeatedly visited Latvia in order to present its report and recommendations. The OSCE/ODIHR calls Latvian state institutions to be more flexible in providing the official information about the elections in minority languages. The OSCE/ODIHR also recommends to simplify naturalisation process for persons over 65 years old; to implement campaigns on promotion of naturalisation; to ensure residents with free-of-charge Latvian language courses; and to continue discussions on granting Latvian citizenship to new-born children of non-citizens automatically. 

Representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe/the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) who observed voting process at the Saeimas snap elections in September 2011 repeatedly visited Latvia in order to present its report and recommendations. The OSCE/ODIHR calls Latvian state institutions to be more flexible in providing the official information about the elections in minority languages. The OSCE/ODIHR also recommends to simplify naturalisation process for persons over 65 years old; to implement campaigns on promotion of naturalisation; to ensure residents with free-of-charge Latvian language courses; and to continue discussions on granting Latvian citizenship to new-born children of non-citizens automatically. Latvijas Avize

The Cabinet of Ministers sent a response letter to the UN Human Rights Committee about the case of Raihman v. Latvia. As reported, in December 2010, the UN HR Committee decided that the Latvianisation of non-Latvian names and surnames (such as adding ending -s) in official documents issued in Latvia is interference in private life. However, Latvia still did not eliminate the violation and is not planning to take measures in order to prevent similar violations in future. The Cabinet of Ministers explains the UN HR Committee that there is no need to change the existing practice and refers to specifications of Latvian grammar and the case law which tolerate changes of names. The Cabinet of Ministers also expresses regrets that the UN HR Committee adopting the decision did not take into account Latvia’s historical background and the fact that during the Soviet era names of ethnic Latvians were also changed according to Russian grammar.

The Cabinet of Ministers sent a response letter to the UN Human Rights Committee about the case of Raihman v. Latvia. As reported, in December 2010, the UN HR Committee decided that the Latvianisation of non-Latvian names and surnames (such as adding ending -s) in official documents issued in Latvia is interference in private life. However, Latvia still did not eliminate the violation and is not planning to take measures in order to prevent similar violations in future. The Cabinet of Ministers explains the UN HR Committee that there is no need to change the existing practice and refers to specifications of Latvian grammar and the case law which tolerate changes of names. The Cabinet of Ministers also expresses regrets that the UN HR Committee adopting the decision did not take into account Latvias historical background and the fact that during the Soviet era names of ethnic Latvians were also changed according to Russian grammar. Chas

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins does not support granting citizenship to all non-citizens automatically and granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. Mr President believes that such actions would be unfair towards those non-citizens who went trough naturalisation process.

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins does not support granting citizenship to all non-citizens automatically and granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. Mr President believes that such actions would be unfair towards those non-citizens who went trough naturalisation process. Chas

The President’s Council on Ethnic Minorities held a discussion with students and pupils of Latvian and Russian language schools discussing consolidation of society. The members of the discussion agreed that society consolidation issues in the majority of cases are politically exaggerated, especially before the important social or political events or voting. The President Andris Berzins stated that since the first years of its Latvia was strong in terms of national diversity and will retain this strength in the further.

The Presidents Council on Ethnic Minorities held a discussion with students and pupils of Latvian and Russian language schools discussing consolidation of society. The members of the discussion agreed that society consolidation issues in the majority of cases are politically exaggerated, especially before the important social or political events or voting. The President Andris Berzins stated that since the first years of its Latvia was strong in terms of national diversity and will retain this strength in the further. Latvijas Avize