• Latvijas Avize prints an article about Roma in Latvia
• 70 % of Latvian residents do not support ban of the First Baltic Channel
• Governing coalition conceptually supported proposal of the nationalists’ union to suspend the issuing of residence permits to third country nationals
• Anthropological research “What is happening in Russian schools” is to be conducted
• Another protest action of language reform in minority schools will be held on 10 April

Latvijas Avize prints an article about Roma in Latvia. Several events will be held in Latvia today on the International Roma Day such with an aim to attract attention on Roma genocide during WWII and long-term discrimination and possible ways to stop it. Social scientist Deniss Kretalovs says that the main problem of Roma is lack of education and comprehension of why education is important. Only 0,8% of Roma have higher education, 3% have professional secondary education and about 10% secondary education. Other Roma have either primary education or less than four classes or they do not even indicate the level of education. No other ethnic minority group in Latvia demonstrates such low level of education, says D. Kretalovs.  The newspaper also notes that according to Central Statistic Bureau, about 3,6% of Roma are illiterate. Many of Roma illiterates are ashamed to acknowledge this fact. Currently, an NGO “ADRA Latvia” conducts in Sabile (town in the western part of Latvia which also has a high number of Roma residents) courses for Roma teaching them how to read and write. There are also discussions about whether special Roma classes are permissible or not and how to stimulate Roma children to continue their education.

According to a public opinion survey conducted by SKDS, 70 % of Latvian residents do not support ban on broadcasting of the First Baltic Channel (mainly retranslates programs of the Russia’s 1st Channel) in Latvia. Ban of the channel does not support 90% of Russian speakers and 57% of ethnic Latvians. 14% of respondents support such ban. As reported, the National Council on Electronic Mass Media already banned retranslation of a TV channel “Rossija – RTR Planeta” for three months in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the governing coalition conceptually agreed to support proposal of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM to grant the government the right to suspend for a time issuing of residence permits to third country nationals. According to the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, the proposal most likely will relate to specific group of persons for non-EU countries without mentioning any specific country. Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga

An association “Ascendum” granted funding in amount of EUR 2,585 for anthropological research “What is happening in Russian schools.” The aim of the research is to find students’ thoughts about their schools and future perspectives in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

The Headquarters for Defence of Russian Language Schools is organising one more protest action for preservation of education in Russian language in Latvia. The action will be held on 10 April in Riga. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Neatkariga interviews two directors of Riga Russian language schools
• 24 year old woman who cannot find job in Riga because of insufficient Russian language proficiency

Neatkariga interviews two directors of Riga Russian language schools about results and problems of ethnic minority education program and planned for 2018 language reform in minority schools. Both directors complain about the lack of human resources and, in particular, lack of young teachers able to work in bilingual environment. The directors say that topical issue is also quality of Latvian language teaching and curriculum as the existing curriculum does not promote high quality og Latvian language learning especially in secondary schools. The directors also worry that many graduates choose to emigrate from Latvia and to study in foreign higher education establishments because they don’t see their future in Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a complaint of a 24 year old woman who cannot find job in Riga because of insufficient Russian language proficiency. The woman complaints that she has been to several job interviews but everywhere she was required Russian language proficiency. Commenting the situation, representative of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis says the Centre regularly receives complaints on unreasonable requirements for Russian language proficiency and believes it is a reason why young people emigrate from Latvia.

• President of Latvia Andris Berzins asked the Patriarch Cyril of the Russian Orthodox Church to postpone his visit to Latvia
• Latvijas Avize questions leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia how they evaluate events in Ukraine and how would local Russians react on similar Russia’s intervention to Latvia
• National Council on Electronic Mass Media will restrict retranslation of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossija RTR”

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins sent a letter to the Patriarch Cyril of the Russian Orthodox Church asking to postpone his visit to Latvia planned in May. Such proposal is based on recent situation in Ukraine and Crimea and Russia’s intervention. According to MP Dzintars Zakis (Unity), such decision in right because the Patriarch Cyril is approached to Kremlin and refusal to his visit is similar to refusal to Russia’s officials. Mr Zakis also believes that Russia may use this case to stress repeatedly intolerance towards Russian speakers, Orthodox believers and Russian citizens in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize questions leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia how they evaluate events in Ukraine and how would local Russians react on similar Russia’s intervention to Latvia. All NGOs representatives do not believe that Russia would intervene to Latvia, but also doubt that local Russian residents would fight against Russians and rather would take neutral position.  According to the head of the Latvian Russians Society Valerijs Kravcovs, Russians who are Latvian citizens would not support such actions but it would be naive to expect that 300,000 Latvian non-citizens would defend Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Russian State Duma supported in the first reading a draft law stipulating easier procedure on granting Russian citizenship to recognized Russian speakers. Such amendments would refer to foreigners if they or their close blood relatives lived in Russia, including in the former Russian empire and the USSR.

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media (NCEMM) took a decision to restrict retranslation of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossija RTR” for three months. The NCEMM does not provide official argumentation for such decision yet. The NCEMM evaluates also the content of broadcasts of other Russia’s TV channel retranslated in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga

• Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes
• Ombudsman Juris Jansons in Facebook discussion referred to opponent’s ethnic origin
• Latvijas Avize: Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers for ethnic minority schools

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes for being a member of foreign military forces. Aijo Benes took active part in actions supporting reunion of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions with Russia. He also positioned himself as a member of the Crimean “self defence” forces. The Citizenship Law stipulates that a person can be deprived of Latvian citizen for being a member of foreign military forces. However, the newspaper notes the same article stipulates that the citizenship cannot be deprived if in the result the person becomes stateless. The newspaper also notes that in 2013, 56 persons got deprived of Latvian citizenship, mainly for being citizens of a foreign state with which dual citizenship is not allowed by the Latvian legal acts. Also, 220 persons refused Latvian citizenship in favour of other state’s citizenship (mainly Russian.)

Vesti Segodnya reports about comments published by the Ombudsman Juris Jansons on Facebook. Commenting discussion about criminalisation of public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression of the MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) and other persons, the Ombudsman alleged Mr Cilevics of provocations and referred to B.Cilevics’ ethnic origin. J. Jansons also noted that in this discussion he expressed his personal opinion.

Latvijas Avize reports that despite government’s plans to increase proportion of education content taught in state language in national minority schools, the Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers specifically for these schools.  Reform’s opponents assert that if the language reform in introduced about 70-80% of national minority schools teachers may lose their jobs due to insufficient state language proficiency and there will be no other teachers to replace them. The Ministry does not agree that there will such dramatic problems because during past ten years schools already increased proportion of Latvian language in education process.

• Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs
• Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics
• Government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4 in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions
• State Service of Education Quality forbade schools to use a brochure edited by Valerijs Buhvalovs
• Subcommittee on patriotic education discusses possible actions aimed at region with the largest proportion of ethnic minorities

Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs. According to Mr. Liepnieks, in order to ensure stability inside the state and draw closer ethnic Latvians and Russian speaking residents, Latvia should refuse all its previous integration documents and programs aimed at assimilation of ethnic non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks believes that in order to make allies of ethnic non-Latvians it is important to refuse any force and assimilation strategy and to use instead professional pragmatic state marketing strategies. Also, Mr Liepnieks believes that integration policy should be aimed not only on ethnic Russians but also on ethnic Latvians and also stresses that Russophobic and nationalistic ethnic Latvians are equally harmful for the existence of Latvian national state as disloyal non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks says that neither EU nor U.S.A. will be able to help Latvia if Latvia itself does not ensure political stability through real actions aimed on consolidation of ethnic groups.

Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics. The Minister criticizes the draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression. The Minister stresses that the Criminal Law already foresees liability for denial of crimes against humanity and therefore, there is no need for additional articles, especially, because the current version of the proposed amendments gives options for wide interpretation. Commenting situation in Crimea, the Minister calls Russian speaking resident to consider with understanding feelings of ethnic Latvians about it as these events reminds them about events in Latvia in 1940. The Minister also hopes that all Latvian residents will be respectful to one another and will not support radicals.         

Yesterday, the government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions. The target audience of the Chanel 4 is mainly Russian speaking residents. Latvijas Avize, Diena

Latvijas Avize reports about a brochure “And the times puts obelisks” edited in Russian language by a member of the Union of Russians in Latvia and Russian cultural association “Veche” Valerijs Buhvalovs. The brochure was edited with an aim to present it to school teachers to “broaden their horizons.” However, the Education Content and Examination Centre after evaluation of the brochure’s content concluded that it does not correspondent to general education content and state education standards as it factually justifies Latvia’s occupation by the USSR and recognises it as a right step in order to save Europe from further escalation of Nazism. The State Service of Education Quality sent letter to all Latvian schools saying that usage of such material is not permissible in education process.

The Saeima subcommittee on patriotic education discussed possible actions aimed at strengthening ethnic Latvian cultural space in Latgale region (eastern part of Latvia). This region drew close attention by local and international mass media after reunion of Crimea with Russia as it has the largest proportion of ethnic minorities. Vesti Segodnya