• FHRUL initiated a collection of signatures in support of granting citizenship to all Latvian non-citizens
• Latvian Association of Pagans criticizes the decision of the Saeimas Legal Committee to extend working hours of some polling stations during the elections following the appeal of the Jewish religious community
• U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber visited the centre for illegal immigrants in Daugavpils

Three weeks before the Saeima’s snap elections, the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) initiated a collection of signatures in support of granting citizenship to all Latvian non-citizens. Experts interviewed by

Three weeks before the Saeimas snap elections, the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) initiated a collection of signatures in support of granting citizenship to all Latvian non-citizens. Experts interviewed by Telegraf believe that such initiative mostly likely will not help the FHRUL to be elected in the parliament but it can negatively impact the level of tolerance in the society and provoke counter-actions by ethnic Latvian radicals. Telegraf, Chas

The Latvian Association of Pagans criticizes the decision of the Saeima’s Legal Committee to extend working hours of some polling stations during the elections following the appeal of the Jewish religious community. The Saeima’s Committee decided that at least one polling station in each Latvian region should be opened from 8 a.m. up to 10 p.m. The Association of Pagans considers that the civic duty should prevail over the religious traditions and that extension of the polling stations’ working hours is too expensive taking into consideration that there are only about 70 members of Jewish religious community.  As reported, the Jewish community asked to extend the working hours of the poling stations due to the Shabbat.

The Latvian Association of Pagans criticizes the decision of the Saeimas Legal Committee to extend working hours of some polling stations during the elections following the appeal of the Jewish religious community. The Saeimas Committee decided that at least one polling station in each Latvian region should be opened from 8 a.m. up to 10 p.m. The Association of Pagans considers that the civic duty should prevail over the religious traditions and that extension of the polling stations working hours is too expensive taking into consideration that there are only about 70 members of Jewish religious community. As reported, the Jewish community asked to extend the working hours of the poling stations due to the Shabbat. Chas

Chas reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber visited the centre for illegal immigrants in Daugavpils in the framework of the visit to Latgale (region in the East of Latvia). The centre was transferred from Olaine (town near Riga) to the brand new premises in Daugavpils on 1 June. Presently there are 35 detainees in the centre – persons who crossed Latvias border with fake documents and asylum seekers.

• 133 persons renounced Latvian citizenship in favour of foreign citizenship since the beginning of the year
• Swedish diplomat Lars Freden presented a book about formation of the citizenship institute and policy towards ethnic minorities

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 133 persons renounced Latvian citizenship in favour of foreign citizenship since the beginning of the year. This is 13% fewer renunciations than in 2010. The majority of ex-Latvian citizens choose citizenship of Russia, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Belarus. Latvian citizen can renounce citizenship only if he or she is citizen of other country or it is guaranteed that he or she would receive foreign citizenship upon renunciation of Latvian citizenship.

According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 133 persons renounced Latvian citizenship in favour of foreign citizenship since the beginning of the year. This is 13% fewer renunciations than in 2010. The majority of ex-Latvian citizens choose citizenship of Russia, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Belarus. Latvian citizen can renounce citizenship only if he or she is citizen of other country or it is guaranteed that he or she would receive foreign citizenship upon renunciation of Latvian citizenship. Chas

The Swedish diplomat and ex-head of the Swedish consular in Riga Lars Freden presented a book “Returnings - Swedish

The Swedish diplomat and ex-head of the Swedish consular in Riga Lars Freden presented a book Returnings - Swedish Security Policy and the Baltic Countries during their First Years of Independence 1991-1994. The book focuses on formation of the citizenship institute and policy towards ethnic minorities. Mr Freden believes that the European legal norms were not violated by not granting citizenship to the residents who arrived to Latvia and Estonia during the Soviet times and their descendants. Mr Freden positively evaluates coexistence of representatives of various ethnicities in the Baltic countries stressing that no ethnic Russian was killed by Baltic nationalists. Telegraf

• Chas reports about a conference of Russias compatriots organised by the foundation Russian World in Riga

Chas reports about a conference of Russias compatriots organised by the foundation Russian World in Riga on 27 and 28 August. Participants of the conference, representatives of Russian NGOs and politicians, discussed the notion of compatriots which is not clearly defined in any document. According to the participants, Russian NGOs in Latvia are struggling to receive financial support from the state, from businessmen and also from Russia. According to the head of an NGO Russian Community of Latvia, this NGO is one of the poorest ethnic cultural NGOs in the country.

• Diena interviews representatives of the most popular political parties on positions regarding ethnic issues
• Andrejs Judins (member of the political party Unity): dialogue between Russian speaking residents and ethnic Latvians will broke stereotypes
• Well known Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls: it is wrong that the Ministry of Culture works on integration issues

Diena interviews representatives of the most popular political parties – the Concord Centre (CC), the Zatlers Reforms Party (ZRP), the Unity, the Slesers Reforms party Latvias First Party/Latvias Way (SRP-LFP/LW), the Union of Greens and Farmers (UGF), and the nationalists union All for Latvia-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (AL-FF/LNIM) on positions regarding ethnic issues. Regarding the state and minority language issues: the AL-FF/LNIM considers that all state funded schools and kindergartens should be gradually transferred only to Latvian language; the SRP-LFP/LW considers that language issues should not be politicized and the state language should be taught better and more intensively both for non-Latvians and for ethnic Latvians; the CC believes that the Latvian should remain the only state language but minority languages should be granted more usage rights; according to the Unity and the UGF, bilingual education system in Latvian is progressive and should not be changed, the ZRP considers that prestige of Latvian language can be raised by promotion of integration and consolidated society. Representatives of all the parties excluding the AL-FF/LNIM agree that Russian language should be taught in Latvia in order to promote competitiveness of young people. Regarding citizenship and naturalisation issues, all the parties excluding the AL-FF/LNIM consider that all children born in Latvia should be granted Latvian citizenship automatically. The CC also considers that citizenship should be granted to graduators of all Latvian secondary schools and some naturalisation procedures requirements should be simplified.

Member of the political party Unity, well known expert in criminal law Andrejs Judins believes that Russian speaking residents should abandon the feeling of being offended by the state, while the state should preserve rights of ethnic minorities for education and native language. Mr Judins believes that stereotypes in society can be broken through constructive dialogue between Russian speaking residents and ethnic Latvians.

Member of the political party Unity, well known expert in criminal law Andrejs Judins believes that Russian speaking residents should abandon the feeling of being offended by the state, while the state should preserve rights of ethnic minorities for education and native language. Mr Judins believes that stereotypes in society can be broken through constructive dialogue between Russian speaking residents and ethnic Latvians. Telegraf

Well known Latvian composer, ex-MP Raimonds Pauls in an interview with

Well known Latvian composer, ex-MP Raimonds Pauls in an interview with Vesti Segodnya stated that it is wrong that the Ministry of Culture works on integration issues. Mr Pauls believes that the Ministry of Culture only speaks about integration instead of promoting integration; instead, the Ministry should take care of theatres, libraries and other cultural issues. Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte: police officers and medical care workers should not be required proficiency in Russian language

According to the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte, police officers and medical care workers should not be required proficiency in Russian language. The Minister believes that these services should have interpreters who would help to communicate with clients speaking foreign languages. The Minister also believes that private companies have no right to demand Russian language proficiency from ethnic Latvians unreasonably. As reported, the Chief of the State Police stated that police officers in Latvia should be proficient in Russian.

According to the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte, police officers and medical care workers should not be required proficiency in Russian language. The Minister believes that these services should have interpreters who would help to communicate with clients speaking foreign languages. The Minister also believes that private companies have no right to demand Russian language proficiency from ethnic Latvians unreasonably. As reported, the Chief of the State Police stated that police officers in Latvia should be proficient in Russian. Chas, Vesti Segodnya