U.S. English Foundation Research

LATVIA

Language Research

4. Minority groups: To what extent are minority groups in this country disadvantaged by their language?

LAW

The 1998 Law contained what was considered to be a number of sections disadvantageous to minority groups. It states that all other languages used in Latvia are foreign languages. According to the regulations adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in October 1996, everybody who had lost a job had to present a language proficiency certificate to be registered as unemployed, even if his former job did not require language proficiency. No unemployment benefits were available to those persons who were unable to present such documentation.

In February 1998, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Labor Code that granted the State Language Inspectors the right to demand dismissal of an employee whose command of the State Language did not meet the specified requirements, regardless of whether he/she had the Language Attestation Certificate. If an employer did not agree to fire this employee, the State Language Inspector had the right to take this demand to the court.

After heated debates (and probably some external pressure) the State President G.Ulmanis refused to endorse the amendments, which were re-considered in Saeima Committee. The proposal was that the State Language Inspector will be commissioned first to demand a repeat Language Attestation and, if language proficiency did not improve to the required level within 6 months, the employee will have to be fired.

In May 1998 the regulations concerning the status of the unemployed were amended so that job seekers could register with the State Employment Service without submitting a certificate verifying their knowledge of the state language or an education certificate. That also meant it has not been necessary to prove knowledge of Latvian to obtain unemployment benefits.

CITIZENSHIP - THE PROCESS OF NATURALIZATION

Between 1991 and 1997 a third of the population of Latvia, or 70% of the national minorities, appeared to be wholly deprived of all political rights and of any effective ways and means of representation and protection of their natural rights. As a result those non-citizens, by comparison with the citizens of Latvia, were discriminated against in over 55 types of basic rights, not only in political, but also in economic, social, and humanitarian spheres. Among them, there were 19 bans on professions. In April 1998 the Government abolished the remaining professional restrictions for non-citizens working as fire fighters, airline staff and pharmacists and planned to abolish the restrictions on becoming private detectives, armed guards and pilots.

The slogan “Latvia for the Letts!” was included in the program of all the parties within the government. However, surveys cannot hide that the Russian community as a whole felt humiliated and alienated from Latvian society by the citizenship policies. Many Russians also felt insecure about their status. 

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Updated (May 2002)

EDUCATION

A student who wants to study at the University of Latvia, the biggest state university, has to pass two entrance examinations. The first examination is in the state language, regardless of student's ethnicity, mother tongue or language of instructions at his/her secondary school. The content of another entry exam depends on the chosen program of studies. The results of both examinations determine whether an applicant will be accepted.

However, another examination in the state language is obligatory at the end of studies only for those students who received their secondary education in languages other than Latvian.

Mr. Sokolovsky, MP from the pro-minority faction “For Human Rights of United Latvia,” asked the rector of the University Mr. Lacis, whether this unequal treatment based on students' language of secondary education should not be considered discriminatory as all students pass the entry exam in Latvian and study in Latvian (it is the only language of instruction at the University, except for one program - Slavic philology).

Mr. Lacis answered that, “there is no discrimination, because an extra examination for the students who received their secondary education in languages other than Latvian has a reasonable basis. The entry examination determines whether a person can study in Latvian, but the second one determines whether a person has necessary state language proficiency to work in his/her profession.”

PERSONAL NAMES

The surname of Ms. Mentzen, a Latvian citizen who acquired it through marriage to a German national, was “Latvianized” to “Mencena” in her Latvian IDs. Ms. Mentzen asked the Constitutional Court to declare the legislation as unconstitutional.

The legislation provided that in documents personal names and surnames must be written in accordance with the Latvian grammar. The original form of a personal name in Latin transliteration could be written on some other page of the ID

Although the practice of “Latvianization” of personal names and surnames remains in force, two positive points have been achieved based on this case. First, the repeated “Latvianization” will not be possible any longer, if a person does not wish it. If a person could once maintain the personal name and surname more or less similar to the original form, he/she will maintain it also in future. The Court pointed out that in new passports (to be issued after July 1, 2002) the original form of the personal name must be written at the same page with the “Latvianized” form.

VAT ON BOOKS

The Latvian Law on VAT (Value Added Tax) stipulates that the publications of original literary works in the Latvian language are exempted from VAT, while original books published in the minority languages are subject to 18 percent VAT (Art.6, par. 20 of the Law on VAT). This provision is also applicable to the literature for children published in Latvia, on the basis of the list approved by the Ministry of Education

On one hand, this tax exemption can be considered a promotional measure aimed at creating more favorable conditions for the original publications in Latvian. On the other hand, this provision might be considered discriminatory in respect of the writers belonging to minorities, as well as to the publishers who wish to publish the original literature written in minority languages. (“Vesti Segodnya” (The News Today), February 13, 2002) 

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Updated (June 2002)

On May 30, 2002 Panorama Latvii reported that national minority schools have received a decree from the Curriculum and Examination Center of the Ministry of Education. According to the decree, observers who have a pedagogic education and the right to teach the Latvian language should be members of the examination commissions, which are assessing the Latvian language skills of 9th grade pupils at national minority schools. The majority of schools believe that this decree demonstrates the Ministry's distrust.

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Updated (July 2002)

UNEMPLOYMENT

According to the data provided by the State Revenue Service the number of unemployed Russian-speakers in Latvia has decreased while the number of unemployed Latvians has increased. Russians are more active in marketing while state sector and international companies employ more Latvians than Russians. (“Telegraf,” June 10, 2002)

RUSSIAN TEACHERS

A survey among the Russian language schoolteachers concerning the education reform in 2004 displayed that 41.5 percent of teachers believe that their skills and knowledge are sufficient to teach in Latvian, while 24 percent are not very sure and 10.5 percent are convinced that they would not be able to teach in Latvian after 2004 (24 percent could not give a concrete answer). Chas, July 23

GROWING NUMBER OF LATVIAN-SPEAKERS

Within ten years the number of national minority representatives who know Latvian has grown from 23 percent in 1991 to 53 percent in 2000. The number of residents who do not know the language has decreased from a million to half a million. According to the latest census the number of non-Latvians who can speak Latvian is gradually increasing, while the number of Latvians who can speak Russian is decreasing. However, a survey by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences shows that although the majority of Russians know Latvian, they use the language very little. According to the Head of the International Migration Organization in Riga, Ilmars Mezs, current language policy is more oriented to achieve goals by applying repressive methods, fines and certificates. However, this brings along a certain portion of negativism. Ilmars Mezs suggests implementing a language policy, which motivates and attracts. For example, giving bonuses to teachers in those national minority schools, which make a successful switch to education in the Latvian language already in 2003. (Diena, June 12)

MOTIVATION FOR NATURALIZATION

The key motivation for naturalization (42.6 percent) is a desire to find a good job. Thirty eight percent of respondents decided to naturalize because Latvian citizenship provides easier travel arrangements, and 28.1 percent stated that the key reason for naturalization was the possibility to participate in the coming elections. (Panorama Latvii, June 12)

THE SPEED OF NATURALIZATION

The Naturalization Board released the data concerning citizenship issues for the last half of the year. In comparison with the data of the last year, the speed of naturalization has increased by 20-25 percent. However, the tendency of non-citizens parents not to apply for Latvian citizenship for their children, raised concerns. Parents of only 856 children have applied for Latvian citizenship for their children, although more than 24,000 children are entitled to do so.

One of the planned activities of the Naturalization Board and the donors will be to launch toll-free phone line, which will provide information about citizenship (funded by the USA); organize information booths in Latvia (funded by Great Britain); organize the contest “On the Way to the Civic Society” for pupils, and missionary service which would tour around Latvia in order to provide the Latvian language courses for non-Latvians. (Panorama Latvii, June 22)

Since February 1, 1995, when the naturalization in Latvia began, 53,327 persons have acquired Latvian citizenship. The number of applications for naturalization increased at the beginning of this year. The peak was reached in February (1,049 applications), while in June the number declined to 447 applications. (Neatkariga, July 20) 

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Updated (August 2002)

LAW ON CITIZENSHIP

In 1995, the Law on Citizenship entered into force introducing a complicated “age windows” timetable, whereby only those born in Latvia, age 16 to 20 could apply first. Others, including children born in Latvia to non-citizens, and elderly non-citizens, had to await their “window,” (last window in 2003). Amendments passed in the 1998 referendum abolished the system and granted all stateless children born in Latvia since August 21, 1991 the right to receive Latvian citizenship by request of their parents.

Abolition of so much criticized “age-windows” system in 1998 led for a while to a jump in citizenship applications; however, the rate of applications still remained low and actually fell from 15,183 in 1999 to 10,692 in 2000.

A 2000 survey revealed that 33 percent of interviewed non-citizens consider the naturalization process to be humiliating.¹ According to the survey, the primary reason for low applications was lack of confidence to pass exams in the Latvian language (59 percent) and history (54 percent), as well as inability to pay the naturalization fee (47 percent), which, at 30 LATS was unaffordable for many candidates in the country.

EDUCATION

The broad rights enjoyed by minorities heretofore in the sphere of education have recently come under increasing pressure. Soon after the restoration of independence, Latvia developed a system of state-funded minority language education, retaining Soviet-era schools with Russian language instructions and supporting the creation of schools or classes for seven other minority groups (Polish, Ukrainian, Estonian, Jewish, Roma, Lithuanian, Belarussian).

However, according to the 1998 Law on Education, after 2004 all public secondary and vocational schools must use the state language only, which means that existing minority language secondary schools will have to switch to Latvian instructions. Teachers in all public schools are required to speak the state language at the highest level of proficiency, and all staff meetings will have to be conducted in the state language. Private schools with minority language curricula are subject to legislative discrimination: public funding may only be allocated to those private schools where state accredited education programs in the state language are implemented.²

Article 3 of the Law on Education declares equal rights to education regardless of race, ethnic origin and religious persuasion. However, while the right to receive education in the state language is guaranteed both by the Law on the State Language (Article 14) and the Law on Education (Article 9), the latter permits, but does not guarantee, education in other languages in two instances only – in private schools (currently attended by less than one percent of students)³ and in state and municipal education establishments where “minority education programs” are in place.

The Ministry of Education and Science is authorized to determine the subjects within minority education programs to be taught in the state language.

According to the Law on Education, all orphans must attend schools with the instructions in the Latvian language. Orphaned children whose education began in a different language must be transferred to Latvian language schools.

In addition, training of Latvian language teachers for minority schools practically ceased in the early 1990s. In autumn 2000, 536 pupils in minority schools were not taught the Latvian language, because they did not have teachers. University training of teachers in minority languages is also low, around 20 persons annually at the Russian philology department at the University of Latvia.

Number of Students by Language of Instruction

 

	1995/96	1996/97	1997/98	1998/99	1999/2000
Latvian	203,607	212,017	219,794	233,939	238,652
Russian	132,540	129,120	125,643	125,741	120,612
Other	1,513	1,664	1,817	2,042	2,168
Total	337,660	342,801	347,254	361,722	361,432
Studying in Latvian (%)	60.3	61.8	63.3	64.7	66.0

Other factors contributing to this trend are emigration and a falling birth rate among Russians. In some other minority schools the language of instruction is mostly Latvian or Russian.

In June 2000, the Saeima voted to close Riga Aviation University (RAU), the only state university where the Russian language was widely used. RAU was one of the ten largest aviation institutes in the world. As a result more than 300 lecturers became unemployed. According to the then Minister of Education and Science, one of the reasons for closure was that in the university some norms of the language law were ignored for a long time, namely the requirement to use the state language in university education (76 percent of RAU students were educated in Russian).

The envisaged elimination of state supported secondary education in minority languages is the most controversial issue for minorities in Latvia today. It has been suggested that extending the system of bilingual education to secondary schools might be a reasonable compromise.

The importance of language to the identity of Russian youth is born out by a research in which 77 percent of respondents gave language as the basis for identity, ahead of ethnic origin (54 percent).

EMPLOYMENT

Article 6 of the Law on the State Language requires all employees in the public sphere to have a command of the state language corresponding to their duties. The same requirement is imposed on employees in the private sphere, to the extent determined by a “legitimate public interest.” Language proficiency demands on employees in the private sphere are established by government Regulations No.296, from August 22, 2000.

Later amendments of November 21, 2000 list professions in the private sector subject to language regulations, containing 34 categories falling within the “legitimate public interest.” The list included various health care professionals, guards and security-related professions, notaries and sworn advocates, but also taxi drivers.

June 2001 amendments to the Administrative Violations Code stipulated fines for employers who hire employees lacking sufficient proficiency in Latvian, thus “unjustifiably involving businesses in enforcing the language law.”

The National Human Rights Office has identified four areas of private employment barred by the law from non-citizens, which are not in accordance with Latvia's international obligations: advocate's assistants, private detectives, aircraft captains and security guards.⁴

Available data suggest that Russian speakers and non-citizens are at greater risk of unemployment than ethnic Latvians and citizens. A factor significantly limiting job opportunities for many Russians is a weak knowledge of the Latvian language. For example, a recent survey found that of those whose native language was not Latvian, 38 percent of non-citizens and 22 percent of citizens could not work in a job requiring Latvian language knowledge.

Official data on the ethnicity of unemployed has not been available since 1994, when 55 percent of all unemployed were of minority origin. Subsequent sociological surveys suggest that Russian speakers have continued to be over-represented among the unemployed: in 1996, 14 percent of ethnic Latvians claimed to be unemployed against 26 percent of non-Latvians.

According to 1999 survey, the level of unemployment among ethnic Russians (18 percent) and other minorities (17 percent) was again much higher than among ethnic Latvians (10 percent). As for the working age population, 14 percent of ethnic Russians, 12 percent of other minorities and 7 percent of ethnic Latvians were unemployed.

Source: http://www.eumap.org/reports/content/10/428/minority_latvia.pdf, The EU Accession Monitoring Program Report on Minority Protection, Open Society Institute 2001 on

http://www.eumap.org/reports/content/10

¹ This observation was supported by research conducted by the Baltic Data House in August 1997: “Generally, respondents in all age groups perceive the non-citizen's status as an insult, which makes you feel inferior, while the naturalization procedures are perceived as humiliating and discriminatory. ”Baltic Data House, Towards a Civic Society: Main Findings, Riga, 1997, p.8.

² Law on Education, Article 59 (2): The State and municipalities may participate in financing of private education institutions if these institutions implement state accredited education programs in the state language. Adopted on October 29, 1998.

³ The percentage of students attending private schools in Latvia is 0.86 percent according to official data of the Ministry of Education and Science in 2000/2001 academic year.

⁴ Cited on the Latvian Human Rights Committee list of differences in the rights of citizens and non-citizens, http://www.riga.lv/minelres/count/non_cit-rights_2.htm (accessed June 17, 2001)

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Updated (October 2002)

Riga City Council abolished two provisions, which discriminated against the rights of non-citizens. The first provision was adopted in 1993 and banned non-citizens from receiving credits by Riga City Council to buy apartments in newly built houses. The second abolished provision stipulated that if a non-citizen wanted to buy an apartment in a house owned by a cooperative society, he would have to have an officially registered place of residency in Riga for at least 16 years.

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, October 16, 2002, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya 

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Updated (January 2003)

THE RIGHTS OF NON-CITIZENS AFTER ACCESSION TO THE EU

According to Andrew Rasbash, the Head of the delegation of the European Commission to Latvia, after Latvia's accession to the EU Latvian non-citizens will not enjoy the same rights as Latvian citizens. In particular, Latvian non-citizens will not automatically receive the right to work in other EU member states. They will not need a visa to travel to the Schengen countries¹ but they will need visas to Great Britain and Ireland. However, one of the most sensitive issues regarding non-citizens and the EU will be the right to vote in municipal elections. Citizens of other EU countries will have the right to participate in municipal elections after residing in Latvia for six months, but Latvian non-citizens who have lived in Latvia for decades are not and will not be entitled to do so.

When asked whether Latvia's accession to the EU could motivate Latvian non-citizens to naturalize, Rasbash said that for young and economically active non-citizens it could be a good motivation, but older people probably would not be very interested in acquiring Latvian citizenship.

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, December 20, 2002

HEALTH MINISTER PROPOSES AMENDMENTS TO THE PHARMACY LAW

Vesti Segodnya reported that recently government submitted for the Saeima's approval amendments to the Pharmacy Law. For its second reading the Health Minister Aris Auders suggested changes, which stipulate that a graduate of the Pharmacy Department of the Academy of Medicine who is a Latvian citizen is entitled to receive a license and to start to work as a pharmacist immediately after graduation, while a Latvian non-citizen should first complete an internship. After the attention brought to this subject by the media the Health Minister and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration decided to turn down the proposal.

Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, February 25, 26, 2003

¹ The name “Schengen” originates from a small town in Luxembourg. In March 1995, seven European Union countries signed a treaty to end internal border checkpoints and controls. More countries have joined the treaty over the past years. At present, there are 15 Schengen countries, all in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries except Norway and Iceland are European Union members.

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Updated (March 2003)

AMENDMENTS TO THE PHARMACY LAW

In the February update we have informed about this issue with the conclusion that the proposal to amend the Pharmacy Law (a graduate of the Pharmacy Department of the Academy of Medicine who is a Latvian citizen is entitled to receive a license and to start to work as a pharmacist immediately after graduation, while a Latvian non-citizen should first complete an internship) was turned down after the attention brought to this subject by the media.

However, Vesti Segodnya on February 28 reported that the Saeima approved this amendment in its 2nd reading when seventy-four MPs voted for and twenty-two were against.

Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, February 28, 2003 

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Updated (March 2005)

WITHIN THE LAST TEN YEARS 85,352 NON-CITIZENS HAVE RECEIVED LATVIAN CITIZENSHIP THROUGH THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS 

According to the statistics of the Naturalization Board, out of 100,000 naturalization applicants 85,352, including 10,770 minors, have received Latvian citizenship through the naturalization process within the last ten years. The naturalization process in Latvia was launched on February 1, 1995. Since then the number of non-citizens has dropped from 735,000 to 452,000. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Chas, January 28 and February 2, 2005

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Updated (June 2005)

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN RUSSIAN 

Although the Law on Education stipulates that state universities should provide all studies in the Latvian language, at the Riga Technical University (RTU) until recently it was possible to receive both bachelor's and master's degrees in Russian. A student just had to apply as a foreigner and pay a study fee that should be paid by foreign students. 

Since Saeima lawyers warned that this was an open violation of the Law, the Senate of the RTU banned permanent residents of Latvia from participation in the study programs offered in the Russian language for foreign students. The Russian language newspaper "Vesti Segodnya" sharply criticized such a decision, calling it absurd and predicted that a similar prohibition regarding private institutions of higher education will follow. 

"Telegraf" criticized intention of the Ministry of Education and Science to propose amendments to the Law on Institutions of Higher Education, which would stipulate that only foreign nationals have the right to study in foreign languages at Latvian state universities. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, May 30, 2005, June 1 and 2, 2005, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

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Updated (October 2005)

The Security Police have showed their interest in the activities of the Russian Community in Liepaja. The complaint they had received criticized the fact that members of the Russian Community get a discount of five percent in a number of shops and cafes. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, September 21, 2005, Chas

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Updated (January 2006)

STATE LANGUAGE CENTER REQUESTS THE STATE JOINT STOCK COMPANY LATVIAN POST TO STOP DISTRIBUTION OF THE BOOKLETS IN RUSSIAN 

The State Language Center, on the basis of the complaint submitted by For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, found out that the informative booklets of the Post of Latvia, printed in the Russian language and offering press subscription and delivery, violate the State Language Law. The Center asked the Post to exempt the booklets from trade. However, a representative of the Post of Latvia stated that the regulations of the State Language Law were not violated because the Post is not a state institution and does not receive any funding from the state's budget. He explained that the company works in accordance with the principles of market competition and wants to address all residents of the country. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, December 23, 2005, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf 

PRESIDENT OF THE NGO RUSSIAN COMMUNITY IN LATVIA SUGGESTS A FEW STEPS TO SOLVE THE "RUSSIAN ISSUE" IN LATVIA 

The president of the NGO Russian Community in Latvia suggested a few steps how to deal with the 'Russian issue' in five years. He suggests the following measures: 

• Declare Orthodox Christmas a national holiday  

• Provide an opportunity to address state institutions in Russian in both verbal and written forms  

• Grant Latvian citizenship to all permanent residents of Latvia  

• Establish a TV channel in the national television which would air only in Russian  

• Declare the Russian language a second official language  

• Ensure proportional representation of Russian deputies in all state institutions according to the number of Russian residents  

• Grant the post of vice-premier to a representative of Russians  

• Form a government where ministers representing the Russians would be presented according to the proportion of Russian residents in the country  

• Implement double Latvian-Russian citizenship.  

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, January 5, 2006, Chas

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Updated (February 2006)

A LEADER OF "THE CONCORD CENTER": IF ETHNIC ISSUES ARE NOT SOLVED, NO SUCCESS WILL BE ACHIEVED 

Nils Ushakovs, the leader of the political party "The Concord Center", in an interview with "Chas" stated that the government must make a step towards ethnic minorities in Latvia. He thinks that the government should ease the naturalization process; grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections; and abolish the already adopted amendments to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, February 13, 2006, Chas 

FHRUL ANNOUCES A PROJECT TENDER "RUSSIAN CULTURE IN LATVIA: HERITAGE AND DEVELOPMENT" 

The political union For Human Rights in United Latvia announced a project tender "Russian culture in Latvia: heritage and development". They claim that Latvia's integration policy is compulsive assimilation of national minorities; therefore, Russian community in Latvia needs its own program for preservation and development of the Russian language, schools, and culture. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, February 15, 2006, Chas

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Updated (April 2006)

ADRIAN SEVERIN HELD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT, NGOs, AND THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY TO LATVIA 

The representative of the Parliamentarian Assembly of the Council of Europe, Adrian Severin, held many meetings with representatives of the Latvian government, NGOs and the Russian Embassy to Latvia during his visit to the country and discussed the situation of national minorities. While speaking to the Prime Minister, he recommended to put more effort in searching for goals shared by all groups, as well as enhance communication with national minorities through the mass media. Severin said that he believes that special attention should be paid to involvement of young people. 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, March 22, 2006 Chas, Vesti Segodnya, and Telegraf

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Updated (March 2007)

UNITED RUSSIAN COMMUNITY IN LATVIA 

Chas has published an article by MPs, Valerijs Buhvalovs and Jakovs Pliners (both from FHRUL), on how to unite the Russian community in Latvia. The MPs believe that the preservation of the Russian community and its development depends on the following five factors: 

1. Availability of a wide range of education models in Russian providing qualitative education;  

2. Intensive implementation of cultural and educational activities by Russian NGOs in Riga and across Latvia;  

3. Active involvement of Russian businesses in funding cultural and educational projects;  

4. Direct dialog among NGOs and local and central authorities; and  

5. Establishment of partnership relations with political parties, which protect the rights of ethnic minorities.  

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, March 7, 2007 

STATE LANGUAGE CENTER EXAMINES THE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OF STAFF AT TWENTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

Over February and March the State Language Centre has been examining school principles' and teachers' proficiency in the state language at twenty public schools across Latvia. The aim has been to discover whether the state language proficiency levels indicated in their staff's proficiency certificates correspond to their actual language skills. Evija Papule, the Head of the State General Education Quality Assessment Agency under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science, has voiced dissatisfaction with the activities of the State Language Centre. The Agency believes that inspections at schools should be coordinated with the respective units of the Education Ministry. Mrs. Papule also notes that the State Language Centre has been "too harsh towards minority schools." 

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, March 3, 2007

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Updated (September 2007)

“RUSSIAN MARCH” BANNED BY THE RIGA CITY COUNCIL

Riga City Council has decided not to allow the controversial “Russian March” that had been planned by the Latvian National Democratic Party and Russia's nationalist party “Motherland” to take place on 8 September. The march was forbidden by the Council due to the security reasons.

Instead, a meeting “Russian Standing” was held at the same place and at the same time. The main slogans of the meeting were aimed at granting official status to Russian language and granting citizenship for all non–citizens.

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, September 7 and September 10, 2007 Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, NRA 

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Updated (October 2007)

AN ACTIVIST OF THE NGO “RETURN OUR NAMES” HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS 

Ruslan Pankratov, an activist of the NGO “Return Our Names”, has submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights against Latvianization in his passport of his first and last name.

Rights against Latvianization in his passport of his first and last name.

According to him, there are about 3,000 persons registered in the organization who support initiative against the Latvianization of personal names. He says that modification of names leads to forced assimilation and is a form of ethno–linguistic nationalism.

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, October 15, 2007 

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Updated (August 2008)

A SURGEON IN HOSPITAL REFUSED TO SPEAK RUSSIAN TO AN OLD WOMAN

An old woman has appealed to the Committee of Medical Ethics and Inspector of Medical Care after a surgeon in hospital refused to speak to her in Russian about her grandson's health condition.

Both authorities replied that doctors are required to speak with patients in the state language while usage of foreign languages is not obligatory. Vesti Segodnya reports that there are also many other complaints from Russian speaking residents that medical personnel refuse to explain things in Russian.

Source: Integration and Minority Information Service of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights, July 17, 2008 Vesti Segodnya

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