• Saeima will continue consideration of the draft amendments to the Immigration Law

Yesterday, the Saeima voted to continue consideration of the draft amendments to the Immigration Law started by the previous parliament. Currently, the Immigration Law envisages residence permits to third-country nationals investing or purchase of expensive real estate in Latvia. As reported, the National Union proposed to suspend issuing of such residence permits to the citizens of the Russian Federation. Member of the NU, MP Edvins Snore considers growing number of Russian citizens in Latvia could be dangerous in terms of state security and Russification. Diena

• Government has agreed on a new requirement for naturalisation procedure
• Mayor of Kraslava rejects information about agitation published by Diena

Diena reports that the government has agreed on a new requirement for naturalisation procedure according to which an applicant will be obliged to submit a statement certifying that he/she has not been convicted of a criminal offence. The draft law elaborated by the Ministry of Interior foresees that the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office requests information from all the operational entities in order to check compliance of individuals to specific naturalisation restrictions.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the mayor of Kraslava Gunars Upenieks rejected information published by the newspaper Diena about alleged distribution of agitation materials aimed at convincing the residents of Latgale to join their region to Russia. Representative of Security Police also expressed incomprehension about the allegations made in the article and emphasised that the situation is controlled. Following the article, the Ministry of Education begun checking Kraslava’s education establishments regarding the allegations. Mr. Upenieks, stated that the said journalist interviewed him long time ago (in August) and the subject of the interview was different - the problems caused by the African swine fever in Latgale. The interview was published on 11 November, when Latvia celebrates the war of independence of 1919. Vesti Segodnya editorial asks whether the aim of the journalist was to heighten hysteria and incite ethnic tensions.

• Newspapers report about a speech by the Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece dedicated to the Latvia’s Independence Day on 18 November
• LTV1 prime time weekly programme “De Facto” also drew attention to the fact that the Ombudsman Juris Jansons distorted the translation of the Article 13 of the Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities
• Newspapers report about a “spy scandal” between Russia and Latvia

Newspapers report about a speech by the Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece dedicated to the Latvia’s Independence Day on 18 November. In her speech, Mrs Murniece stressed the importance of the existence of state nation (referring to ethnic Latvians) and Latvia as national state. Mrs Murniece also said that Latvian language should take proper place in the society and called state authorities and officials to give speeches and interviews to Latvia’s media in Latvian only. She said that the state language is a language of democratic participation and common for all residents regardless of what language they speak at home, in family or with friends. Diena and Vesti Segodnya notes that the speech of the Speaker sounded more like a speech addressed towards the supporters of the National Union – the party represented by Mrs Murniece. Latvijas Avize, Diena, Vesti Segodnya

LTV1 prime time weekly programme “De Facto” also drew attention to the fact that the Ombudsman Juris Jansons has distorted the translation of the Article 13 of the Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities. The relevant article concerning minority education at secondary level underlines that: […] Throughout this period, the number of subjects taught in the State language, should gradually be increased. Research findings suggest that the more gradual the increase, the better for the child.” http://www.osce.org/hcnm/32180?download=true  The Latvian translation of the Recommendations on the OSCE website: […] Šajā periodā būtu pakāpeniski jāpalielina valsts valodā mācāmo priekšmetu skaits. Pētījumi liecina – jo pakāpeniskāks ir šis process, jo labāk bērniem.” http://www.osce.org/lv/hcnm/32187?download=true The Ombudsman has insisted that the number of school subjects taught in state language should be "substantially increased" in secondary schools and the research findings suggest that the more "progressive" the increase, the better for the child. Despite the criticism, in an interview with LTV1, Mr Jansons again refused to acknowledge that the Latvian translation by the Ombudsman’s Office is misleading arguing that it is “qualitative translation” into Latvian language. Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers report about a “spy scandal” between Russia and Latvia. On Friday, 14 November, the police detained leader of the party “For Native Langauge” Vladimirs Lindermans. The police raided his apartment and released after interrogation. According to Lindermans, he received a written notification with accusations in recruitment and training of people carrying out terrorist acts, which allegedly means recruitment of volunteers for military actions in the Eastern Ukraine. On the same day, a Russian political scientist who arrived to Riga to attend the media club “Format A3” got included in the list of persons whose entrance to Latvia is denied and was deported from Latvia after spending three hours in downtown Riga.  On Sunday, 16 November, Russia’s media reported about unmasking and expulsion from Russia of a Latvian spy Aleksejs Holostovs, ex-MP from the Concord Centre. In a conversation with allegedly Russia’s FSB, Holostovs acknowledged that he fulfils task of Latvian intelligence agencies under guidance of CIA.  On the same day, activist of so called pro-Russian organisations in Latvia Aleksandrs Gaponenko got detained in the Riga airport arriving from Moscow but released couple of hours later.

• Results of hotline on bilingual education in national minority schools 

Vesti Segodnya reports about the results of its hotline on the quality of bilingual education in national minority schools. Parents complain that several subjects are taught bilingually already in the elementary school and the books are in the state language thus the children are not able to do the homework themselves, but wait for the parents to translate in the evenings. Besides, some books lack rules and include outdated words which are no longer used in Latvian. Some schools allow only 30% subjects in native language as early as in 7th grade, and thus subjects such as algebra, physics, chemistry, biology are taught in the state language. German language teacher refuses Russian and thus children and parents are forced to make triple translation: the children "rebelled" against the teacher and parents formally complained, yet nothing changed. Russian literature book does not have Russian authors and only include Russian translations of Latvian authors. To help the children, parents buy books from Russia and are forced to hire private teachers, but very few can afford it. The secondary school students are very sceptical about education opportunities in Latvia, because not only books, but also their own notes are required in Latvian, they should not mix up the terms in Latvian such as šķautne and skaldne, and as a result they lack knowledge of subjects and fluency in the state language. Many secondary school students would stay in Latvia if they had access to higher education in Russian or at least in English, which is easier for them than Latvian. 

• Mayor of Kraslava is worried by agitation in Latgale; other mayors are sceptical
• Research into the history of individual Latvia’s Russian families
• Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau contacted schools which participated in Russian language literacy event "Total dictation" 

Mayor of Kraslava (city close to Byelorussian border) Gunars Upenieks believes activists are disseminating booklets and are talking about opportunities which would be realised had Latgale (eastern region of Latvia) joined Russia. Mr. Upenieks highlights that those residents who have a job and own a car – are not susceptible, yet poor people may respond to such agitation. Leaders of other municipalities (Ludza, Zilupe, Rezekne) in Latgale are sceptical and emphasise that people are patriots. The mayor of Rezekne Aleksandrs Bartasevics is surprised by the information from Kraslava and highlights that in Rezekne no such facts were observed. He suggests the rumours about agitation of Latgale joining Russia could be a "made-up story" in order to justify increase in military spending. He also reminds that both Mr Upenieks and the Minister of Defence Raimonds Vejonis represent the same political party (The Union of Greens and Farmers). Diena (11.11.2014), Vesti Segodnya 

The Institute of Russian cultural heritage of Latvia conducts research on the history Russians in Latvia, paying attention to the history of individual families, some of which trace their roots to Latvia since XVII century. The research also reveals that many prominent Latvia’s Russians perished during Stalinist repressions. The Institute publishes its results online at www.russkije.lv Vesti Segodnya 

According to the organiser of Russian language literacy event "Total dictation" in Latvia Aleksandrs Filejs, the schools which participated in the "Total dictation" in 2014, received a letter from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) requesting to report about the details of the work. Mr. Filejs insists participation in the "Total dictation" is voluntary. Vesti Segodnya