• LAShOR calls residents not to support activities of radicals around Russian language

The Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instructions (LAShOR) calls not to support collection of signatures to grant official status to Russian language initiated by Russian radicals and proposal of Latvian nationalists to transfer all state funded schools to Latvian only. LAShOR believes that these actions are aimed at ethnic split of the society.

The Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instructions (LAShOR) calls not to support collection of signatures to grant official status to Russian language initiated by Russian radicals and proposal of Latvian nationalists to transfer all state funded schools to Latvian only. LAShOR believes that these actions are aimed at ethnic split of the society. Telegraf, Chas, Diena

• Administrative District Court cancelled ban of the Riga City Council to hold events on 16 March

The Administrative District Court has satisfied the application of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens and the Latvia Anti-fascists’ Committee who challenged the ban imposed by the Riga City Council on their protest events planned to be held on 16 March. As reported, the City Council banned all the events planned to be held on 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. At the court’s hearing, representative of the State Police stated that the police do not support the ban because it complicates the work of the police.  The Security Police also stated that although there might be certain confrontations, the it does not insist on banning the events. The Court also received appeals from other organisations against the Council’s decision.

The Administrative District Court has satisfied the application of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens and the Latvia Anti-fascists Committee who challenged the ban imposed by the Riga City Council on their protest events planned to be held on 16 March. As reported, the City Council banned all the events planned to be held on 16 March – unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires. At the courts hearing, representative of the State Police stated that the police do not support the ban because it complicates the work of the police. The Security Police also stated that although there might be certain confrontations, the it does not insist on banning the events. The Court also received appeals from other organisations against the Councils decision. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena

• MP Ainars Slesers: Latvian citizenship could be sold for 1 million euros
• Unknown persons placed a poster with an image of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires inside the Saeimas lobby
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a book Red Bubbles edited by nationalist Arnolds Berzs

Leader of the party Latvia’s First Party/Latvia’s Way, MP Ainars Slesers stated that Latvian citizenship could be sold for 1 million euros to foreigners in order to support country’s economy. Mr. Slesers believes that it is better to attract to Latvia wealthy foreigners rather than wait for refugees and third-country nationals. The statement provoked negative reaction among many Latvian politicians and experts. The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers stated that Latvian citizenship cannot be sold because it is impossible to buy loyalty towards the country.

Leader of the party Latvias First Party/Latvias Way, MP Ainars Slesers stated that Latvian citizenship could be sold for 1 million euros to foreigners in order to support countrys economy. Mr. Slesers believes that it is better to attract to Latvia wealthy foreigners rather than wait for refugees and third-country nationals. The statement provoked negative reaction among many Latvian politicians and experts. The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers stated that Latvian citizenship cannot be sold because it is impossible to buy loyalty towards the country. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports that unknown persons placed a poster with an image of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires and title 16 March – day of commemoration of Latvian legion inside the Saeimas lobby. The poster got noticed by journalists and the Concord Centres deputies who asked technical workers to remove it.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a book Red Bubbles about so-called anti-state activities of various organisations and persons during 1988-1998 edited by nationalist Arnolds Berzs, - former MP and the recipient of the 3d-class Order of the Three Stars. The books author believes that state governmental authorities in Latvia should act first of all in the interests of ethnic Latvians and all the attempts to involve fully or partly ethnic non-Latvians in the government are anti-state activities. Recalling one of his colleagues at the parliament, an ethnic Jew who voted for independence, the author states that she represents a people, which always demands equality, yet it only recognizes the kind of equality, where it can be more equal then the others. The author labels a wide range of organisations as holding anti-state activities, such as Russian-language mass media, NGOs the Russian Community of Latvia, the Latvian Human Rights Committee, Latvian Association of Anti-Hitlerite Coalition Fighters and others.

• Leader of the Concorde Centre Janis Urbanovics criticizes activities of ethnic Latvian and Russian radicals around Russian language

Head of the Concord Centre’s faction in the Saeima Janis Urbanovics believes that activities of ethnic Latvian nationalists against Russian language schools and response reaction of Russian speaking radicals collecting signatures for granting Russian language status of official lead to intensification of confrontation in the society. Mr. Urbanovics believes that Latvian language should remain the only state language in Latvia, while Russian should be granted support and officially acknowledged as language of ethnic minorities.

Head of the Concord Centres faction in the Saeima Janis Urbanovics believes that activities of ethnic Latvian nationalists against Russian language schools and response reaction of Russian speaking radicals collecting signatures for granting Russian language status of official lead to intensification of confrontation in the society. Mr. Urbanovics believes that Latvian language should remain the only state language in Latvia, while Russian should be granted support and officially acknowledged as language of ethnic minorities. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Riga City Councils decision to ban all the events on 16 March will be appealed

Newspapers report that organisations and persons who submitted applications to hold events on 16 March are planning to appeal the decision of the Riga City Council to ban all the events in the court. Juris Jansons, recently approved for the post of the Ombudsman, refused to comment the Council’s decision, considering that the decision can be evaluated only after the court’s ruling. The Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, in his turn, stated that 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) and 9 May (Victory over the Nazi Germany Day) should not be celebrated at all in Latvia because these dates split the society.

Newspapers report that organisations and persons who submitted applications to hold events on 16 March are planning to appeal the decision of the Riga City Council to ban all the events in the court. Juris Jansons, recently approved for the post of the Ombudsman, refused to comment the Councils decision, considering that the decision can be evaluated only after the courts ruling. The Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, in his turn, stated that 16 March (unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires) and 9 May (Victory over the Nazi Germany Day) should not be celebrated at all in Latvia because these dates split the society. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga