• Cabinet of Ministers supported easing some requirement in naturalisation procedure
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a case of 80-year old man who struggles to receive permanent residence permit in Latvia

The Cabinet of Ministers supported draft amendments to the regulations on submission and revision of the naturalisation applications which ease some of the requirements. The new amendments shorten time period for repeated examination if the applicant has failed for the first time and widens a circle of persons exempt from Latvian language examination. According to the new order, if the applicant failed at the state language examination repeatedly the examination can be taken after three months (instead of six months as it is now), and repeated examination in Latvian Constitution and history can be taken after one month (instead of three months.) Those applicants for naturalisation who graduated non-Latvian language schools and received level D at centralised examination in Latvian language will be exempt from examination in state language (up to now, only graduators with level A, B and C were exempt from the examination.) Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about a case of 80-year old man, citizen of Kazakhstan, who resides in Latvia since 2001 with daughters but struggles to receive permanent residence permit due to requirement to prove state language proficiency. The man complains about bureaucratic requirements to prove his poor state of health.

• Applications to recognize children of Latvian non-citizens as citizens of the country can be submitted at the Civil Registry Office

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to regulations on registration of children born to non-citizens of Latvia as citizens of the country. Amendments envisage that parents can submit applications to recognize their children as citizens of Latvia not only at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, but also at the Civil Registry Office. Vesti-Segodya, Chas

• Commemorative events in memory of the Holocausts victims held yesterday in Riga

Commemorative events in memory of the Holocausts victims held yesterday in Riga. The central event was held at the memorial built at the place where on 4 July 1941 the Nazis burned the Big Choral synagogue with the people inside. The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers taking part in the event stated none of the Holocaust victims are forgotten, and we cannot forget those who got brutally killed and those who stood against the evil. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

• LCHR conducted Study on Access to Education of Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Persons Granted Alternative Status in Latvia
• Saeima supported draft amendments to the Labour Law forbidding employers to require employees foreign language proficiency

Vesti Segodnya reports about a Study on Access to Education of Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Persons Granted Alternative Status in Latvia conducted by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights. The aim of the study was to explore the access to education of the target group, obstacles and problems it faces.

The study in Latvian language is available at

The study in Latvian language is available at http://www.humanrights.org.lv/html/lv/aktual/publ/30459.html

The Saeima supported in the first reading the draft amendments to the Labour Law forbidding employers to require employees foreign language proficiency if such skills are not obligatory for fulfilment of job. The draft amendments were prepared by the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM who are alleging discrimination at the labour market against ethnic Latvians with poor Russian language proficiency.

The Saeima supported in the first reading the draft amendments to the Labour Law forbidding employers to require employees foreign language proficiency if such skills are not obligatory for fulfilment of job. The draft amendments were prepared by the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM who are alleging discrimination at the labour market against ethnic Latvians with poor Russian language proficiency. Vesti Segodnya

• Project on elaboration and implementation of programs for introduction of intercultural dialogue and development of communication skills of persons who work with the third country nationals implemented by an NGO Riga Latvian Society
• Events devoted to the 450th anniversary of the Jewish community and commemoration of the beginning of the Holocaust start today in Riga
• Journalist from Spain films a documentary about Latvian non-citizens

Latvijas Avize reports about a project on elaboration and implementation of programs for introduction of intercultural dialogue and development of communication skills of persons who work with the third country nationals implemented by an NGO Riga Latvian Society. Three curriculums were prepared and taught to about 200 representatives of schools, state and municipal institutions in the framework of the project.

Events devoted to the 450

Events devoted to the 450th anniversary of the Jewish community and commemoration of the beginning of the Holocaust start today in Riga. A conference Jews in the Changing World will be held in the framework of the events today. Chas, Neatkariga

Vesti Segodnya reports that a student of journalism from Spain who filmed a documentary about Latvian non-citizens. According to the journalist, his aim is to explore the problem of non-citizenship in Latvia and to inform Europe about it.