Minority issues in Latvia, No. 38
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Subject: Minority issues in Latvia, No. 38
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Original sender: Alexei Dimitrov <[email protected]>
Minority issues in Latvia, No. 38
Minority issues in Latvia, No. 38
Prepared by the Latvian Human Rights Committee (F.I.D.H.)
November 9, 2001
Content
- Language requirements for deputy candidates retained
- NGO for support of minority education: the first achievement at the
state level
- Minority youth NGO continues its protest actions
- A "yellow" newspaper publishes a special issue about Russians in
Latvia
Language requirements for deputy candidates are retained
On October 23 the Saeima (Parliament) of Latvia rejected amendments to
the laws on parliamentary and local elections proposed by the
pro-minority faction "For Human Rights in United Latvia" ("HRUL").
According to current legislation, all citizens of Latvia, who received
education in other languages than Latvian, must produce certificate of
the highest ("3B") level of the state language proficiency in order to
be registered as candidates, otherwise he/she is to be struck off from
the electoral list (see provisions of the Law on the Saeima elections
and the Law on Municipal Elections at
http://www.riga.lv/minelres/NationalLegislation/Latvia/latvia.htm ).
On July 25, 2001, the UN Human Rights Committee considered that Mrs
Ignatane, a deputy candidate at the municipal elections held in March
1997 struck off from the electoral list on the basis of "insufficient
state language proficiency", is a victim of a violation of article 25,
in conjunction with article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (see Minority issues in Latvia, No. 34,
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//08132001-10:18:44-14805.html ;
the full text of the Committee's Views is available in MINELRES at
http://www.riga.lv/minelres/un/cases/UNHRC_Ignatane_2001.html ).
Reaction of the government has so far been rather inactive (see
Minority issues in Latvia, No. 37,
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//10272001-11:04:15-14998.html
).
The European Court of Human Rights will examine another similar case
in the near future. Mrs Podkolzina was a deputy candidate at the
parliamentary elections held in October 1998 struck off from the
electoral list on the basis of "insufficient state language
proficiency". Mrs Podkolzina claims that this made a violation of
Article 3 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human
Rights and article 14 of the European Convention (see Minority issues
in Latvia, No. 26,
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//03102001-09:28:45-7628.html ).
The Prime Minister Andris Berzinsh and speaker of the Saeima Janis
Straume already promised the OSCE High Commissioner on National
Minorities to amend electoral legislation, if the European Court of
Human Rights recognises the language requirements for deputy
candidates constitute human rights violation.
The pro-minority coalition mentioned Ignatane and Podkolzina cases
motivating its will to amend the electoral legislation. As MP Boris
Tsilevich told during the debate, an elector has the right to elect
any person at the elections, in spite of the candidate's insufficient
state language proficiency, insufficient education or derangements.
This right of the elector is guaranteed by the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights. Mr Janis Jurkans, leader of the "HRUL"
faction, reminded that the amendments are necessary precondition for
closing the OSCE Mission to the country. However, the majority of MPs
agreed with Mr Dobelis, MP from the radical nationalistic party "For
Fatherland and Freedom", that the "HRUL" "is dreaming about returning
to the former state with one great language, spoken by Lenin, Stalin,
and Kaganovich". Only 15 MPs voted "for" the amendments to the Law on
the Saeima elections, 55 voted "against", 17 abstained. 14 MPs voted
"for" the amendments to the Law on Municipal elections, 61 voted
"against", 14 abstained.
The next day Neil Brennan, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Latvia,
told at the human rights conference held by the Robert Schuman
Institute that the language requirements for the deputy candidates
have to be abolished sooner or later, like it has been already done in
Estonia (the newspaper "Chas" ("The Hour"), October 27,
http://www.chas-daily.com/win/2001/10/27/l_057.html ).
NGO for support of minority education: the first achievement at the
state level
According to the Education Law of Latvia, elimination of
state-supported secondary education in minority languages is scheduled
for 2004. Primary schools will have the right to use bilingual
educational programs approved by the Ministry of Education and
Science. So far the Ministry has approved four such models.
The Consultative Council on the Education of National Minorities
recommended the Ministry of Education and Science to endorse new
models of bilingual program for national minority schools. The models
are elaborated by the NGO LASHOR (Association for Support of
Russian-Language Schools in Latvia, for details see
http://www.lashor.lv/ ). The main difference of the LASHOR models from
the four models already approved by the Ministry, is that the language
of instruction in the national minority school after 2004 remains the
minority language (not less than 70% of time). The Latvian language is
learnt mainly at the lessons of Latvian, using the most modern methods
of language training.
Unfortunately, members of the Consultative Council did not supported
two other proposals of LASHOR: to create the Board on Education of
National Minorities in the Ministry of Education and Science and to
postpone elimination of state-supported secondary education in
minority languages. As Mr Igor Pimenov, leader of LASHOR, told us,
only three members of the Council voted "for" the latter proposal, 11
voted "against" and 3 abstained.
On November 24 LASHOR holds the 2nd conference for the parents, whose
children are learning in Russian-language schools. The first such
conference was held last year, two resolutions were adopted by the
participants; they authorized LASHOR to represent the interests of
parents of the Russian-speaking pupils in relations with the state
institutions, as well as at the international level (see Minority
issues in Latvia, No. 23,
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//12232000-13:14:48-27639.html ,
and
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//03272001-10:49:56-14234.html
for the texts of the Conference's statements).
Minority youth NGO continues its protest actions
The youth movement "Solidarity" led by Ivan Stalnoy continues the
series of protest actions against the elimination of state-supported
secondary education in minority languages. On October 24 it was going
to hold a meeting and a concert in the centre of Riga, near the Museum
of Latvia�s Occupation. However, the Executive Director of the Riga
City Council did not issue permission for the event, but allowed the
participants to come together near the Museum and then go to the
Saeima. The youth held a picket and a concert of local musicians near
the Saeima building. After the event was finished, the police wrote a
protocol about administrative misdemeanour, because the "Solidarity"
leaders did not mention that there would be a concert during the
picket (the newspaper "Chas" ("The Hour"), October 27,
http://www.chas-daily.com/win/2001/10/27/l_016.html ).
The youth movement "Solidarity" protests actively against the
elimination of state-supported secondary education in minority
languages. It became famous after it held a meeting-concert in Riga on
August 5. From 3000 to 6000 youngsters participated in that event (see
Minority issues in Latvia, No. 34,
http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//12232000-13:14:48-27639.html
). After that Latvia's security services keep a close watch of the
"Solidarity's" activities. One of the leading Latvian-language
newspapers "Lauku Avize" ("The Rural Newspaper") even invited the head
of the Security Police as an expert, when it wrote about this youth
organisation. It should be mentioned here that the most radical claim
of the "Solidarity" is to maintain the opportunity to learn at
secondary school in minority languages.
A "yellow" newspaper publishes a special issue about Russians in
Latvia
The "yellow" Latvian-language evening newspaper "Vakara Zinas" ("The
Evening News") published the thematic issue "Krievu Latvija" ("The
Russian Latvia"). It consists of different articles about the Russian
minority in Latvia's politics, business, culture, sports, interviews
with well-known persons belonging to Russian minority, as well as
common people. As Ainars Vladimirovs, editor-in-chief of "Vakara
Zinas", wrote in a foreword, "we tried to understand them � the
nation, which is living close by us. Do they like us, do we like
them?" It should be mentioned here that it is one of the very first
cases for the last 10 years when the whole issue of the
Latvian-language media is devoted to the Russian minority, and
definitely the very first in "yellow" press.
Almost all materials are quite tolerant towards the biggest minority
in Latvia - with en axception for those devoted to Russian-speaking
politicians in Latvia. These are portrayed exclusively as persons who
are against the independence of Latvia. The newspaper does not mention
any Russian politician, who participated actively in restoration of
the independent state. It seems, every author wrote about Russians led
by own stereotypes and saw the things he/she wanted to see. We hope
that similar attempts to tell the Latvians about life of Russians will
be continued, but in more objective and constructive manner.
Alexei Dimitrov
Latvian Human Rights Committee (F.I.D.H.)
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