MINELRES: Minority issues in Latvia, No. 77

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Minority issues in Latvia, No. 77
Prepared by the Latvian Human Rights Committee (F.I.D.H.)
December 1, 2003


Content 

- UN HRC adopts Concluding Observations on Latvia 
- Withdrawal of the pro-minority observer in EP: the follow-up 
- European Commission publishes monitoring report: minority issues
reflected 
- Chairperson of the PACE Monitoring Committee visits Latvia: no human
rights violations declared 
- The EU as an incentive for naturalization? 
- Secretary-General of NATO PA comments on the Russian-language press in
Latvia 
- Minister on vandalism at Russian cemetery: �We should protect alive
people, not dead� 
- Social Integration Foundation funds the Latvian-language courses 
- One year of the Minister for Social Integration 
- The debates on non-citizens enflame after the referendum on the EU 


UN HRC adopts Concluding Observations on Latvia 
----------------------------------------------- 

The UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) at its 79th session adopted
Concluding Observations on Latvia in respect of implementation of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. HRC considered the
second periodic report of the Republic of Latvia (available at
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/49ee829adffba340c1256d600045d989/$FILE/G0246116.doc)
on October 28 and 29, and adopted the Concluding Observations on
November 5 (see unedited version at
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CCPR.CO.79.LVA.En?Opendocument). 

In respect of minority issues, the Committee welcomed amendments to the
election law, removing the language requirement to stand for election
and the creation of the National Programme �Society Integration in
Latvia� and the Society Integration Foundation. While noting the
measures taken by Latvia to make the naturalization process more
accessible and increase the rate of naturalization of non-citizens, the
Committee is concerned about the limited results of these policies, with
many candidates not even initiating the procedure. The Committee took
note of the different reasons underlying this phenomenon, but considered
that it has adverse consequences in terms of enjoyment of Covenant
rights, and that Latvia has a positive duty to ensure and protect those
rights. 

Furthermore, the Committee is concerned at the possible obstacles posed
by the requirement to pass a language examination. In this respect, the
Committee recommended to strengthen further the State�s efforts to
effectively address the lack of applications for naturalization as well
as possible obstacles posed by the requirement to pass a language
examination. The Committee is concerned at the low level of registration
as citizens of children born in Latvia after 21 August 1991, by
non-citizen parents. It recommended to take all necessary measures to
further encourage registration of children as citizens. 

With regard to the status of non-citizens, the Committee noted the
policy of the Government to further social integration through
naturalization. However, the Committee is concerned about the large
proportion of non-citizens in Latvia, who by law are treated neither as
foreigners nor as stateless persons but as distinct category of persons
with long-lasting and effective ties to Latvia, in many respects
comparable to citizens but in other respects without the rights that
come with full citizenship. The Committee expressed its concern over the
perpetuation of a situation of exclusion, resulting in lack of effective
enjoyment of many rights by the non-citizen segment of the population,
including political rights, the possibility to occupy certain state and
public positions, the possibility to exercise certain professions in the
private sector, restrictions in the area of ownership of agricultural
land, as well as social benefits. In the Committee�s view, Latvia should
prevent the perpetuation of a situation where a considerable part of the
population is classified as "non-citizens". In the interim, Latvia
should facilitate the integration process by enabling non-citizens who
are long-term residents of Latvia to participate in local elections and
to limit the number of other restrictions on non-citizens. 

The Committee is concerned about the impact of the state language policy
on the full enjoyment of rights stipulated in the Covenant. Areas of
concern include the possible negative impact of the requirement to
communicate in Latvian except under limited conditions, on access of
non-Latvian speakers to public institutions and communication with
public authorities. It recommended to take all necessary measures to
prevent negative effects of this policy on the rights of individuals
under the Covenant, and, if required, adopt measures such as the further
development of translation services. 

While noting the explanation provided by the government for the adoption
of the Education Law of 1998, particularly the gradual transition to
Latvian as the language of instruction, the Committee remains concerned
about the impact of the current time limit on the move to Latvian as the
language of instruction, in particular in secondary schools, on Russian
speakers and other minorities. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned
about the distinction made in providing state support to private schools
based on the language of instruction. Latvia should take all necessary
measures to prevent negative effects on minorities of the transition to
Latvian as the language of instruction. It should also ensure that if
state subsidies are provided to private schools, they are provided in a
non-discriminatory manner. 

The Committee is concerned about the social and economic situation of
the Roma minority and its impact on the full enjoyment of their rights
under the Covenant, as well as the potentially negative effect on them
of the present regulations regarding the entry of ethnic origin in
passports and identity documents. It recommended to take steps to remove
obstacles to the practical enjoyment by the Roma of their rights under
the Covenant, and, in particular, abolish the provisions allowing for
entry of ethnic origin in passports and identity documents. 

Besides, Latvia was asked to forward information within 12 months on the
implementation of the Committee's recommendations regarding
naturalisation, the status of non-citizens, state language policy and
the education law, although other information should be included in the
third periodic report, to be presented by 1 November 2008. 

The Latvian Human Rights Committee (F.I.D.H) participated actively in
the process of considering the state report. Tatyana Zhdanok and
Miroslav Mitrofanov held a briefing for members of UN HRC in Geneva
during the session, where also distributed additional materials (�Vesti
Segodnya� (�The News Today�), November 3,
http://rus.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=6695195&ndate=1067810400&categoryID=3513828).
We are satisfied with the opportunity to provide additional information
about the situation in Latvia and the way it has been reflected in the
Concluding Observations. 

Moreover, the issue of statelessness in Latvia was also touched upon by
the UN Committee against Torture, which considered the initial report by
Latvia (see at
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/2b2b9d2c6c576dafc1256d2c003184f0/$FILE/G0244298.doc)
under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment during its 31st session. The Committee
cited among matters of concern the number of persons who lost their
legal status as citizens or "non-citizens" and became "illegal" after
having temporarily left the country. It recommended that Latvia continue
to facilitate the integration and naturalisation of "non-citizens" (see
at http://www.ohchr.org/tbru/cat/Latvia.pdf ). Lawyer of the Latvian
Human Rights Committee Zhanna Karelina presented the NGO�s opinion to
the Committee. It should be noted that the Latvian-language newspaper
�Lauku Avize� (�The Rural Newspaper�) was very concerned about the
activities of the Latvian Human Rights Committee and even suggested to
create an organisation, �which would protect human rights in Latvia
under other principles�, in order to �limit international activities of
Tatyana Zhdanok and her fellows� (October 30). 

Our commentary 

If we compare new recommendations of the UN treaty bodies, we can see
that they are very similar with ones provided by UN CERD in August (see
Minority issues in Latvia, No. 72,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-September/002923.html). It
means that the UN attitude towards the respect of minority rights in
Latvia is very critical, and the government will have to do a lot of
homework in order to prevent such criticism in future. Moreover, the
request to provide information for UN HRC within 12 months means that
the developments in Latvia will be monitored closely, and the government
will hardly have an opportunity to avoid implementation of the
recommendations. 


Withdrawal of the pro-minority observer in EP: the follow-up 
------------------------------------------------------------- 

As we mentioned in the previous issue of our newsletter (see Minority
issues in Latvia, No. 76,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-November/003021.html),
Latvian observer in the European Parliament Martiyans Bekasovs (GUE/UEL
group) is expelled from the observer delegation for speaking out on the
situation of minorities in Latvia. The explanatory letter on the
decision of the Parliament, signed by MP Juris Dobelis (ruling
nationalistic party �For Fatherland and Freedom�/LNNK), followed soon
(�Vesti Segodnya� (�The News Today�), November 10,
http://rus.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=6751475&ndate=1068415200&categoryID=3513828).
It was distributed to all the members of the European Parliament. In
this letter, Mr Dobelis points out that it was necessary to recall Mr
Bekasovs for several reasons: �Firstly, Bekasovs' statement contained
false facts and deliberately misrepresented the situation. For example,
his statement said that Latvia's non-citizens were required to have a
certain command of the state language to be employed. In his statement
he also said that non-citizens could not learn the language because it
cost them too much. In reality non-citizens are employed in the same way
as citizens, and only some restrictions similar to those that we find
everywhere else in Europe are applied. Secondly, this statement is a
slanderous attack on Latvia - the state that its author represents in
the European Parliament. It is unacceptable that a member of a national
parliament acts against the interests of the state he represents�. Mr
Dobelis concludes his letter with the statement, that �In addition, it
should be mentioned that 4 MPs of the Latvian Socialist Party voted
against the ratification of the Treaty of Accession to the European
Union. That fully shows their destructive attitude towards the future
interests of the state� (for the text of the letter see
http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=107655&lang=lv). 

Yet, as mass media point out, the dismissal of Mr Bekasovs is against
the EP rules on participation of observers, as an observer loses its
status only in three cases: his death, expiration of his power or
voluntary retirement (see EP handbook for the observers,
http://www.europarl.eu.int/observers/handbook/obs_handb_en.pdf). The
newspaper �Chas� (�The Hour�) stated, that European left-wing parties
were worried about the decision to recall Bekasov from the European
Parliament and offered him to stay in Brussels to continue his work
(November 6). 

Comments of some MEPs were quoted in the Latvian press (see the
newspaper �Diena� (�The Day�), November 17, and "Telegraf" ("The
Telegraph", November 14,
http://rus.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=6792763&ndate=1068760800&categoryID=2078302
). For example, Per Gahrton (Verts/ALE) pointed out, that the arguments
Mr Dobelis gave are �absolutely not acceptable. Should persons who have
opposed the membership of Latvia in the EU not be allowed to be MEPs of
Latvia? If that were the common principle of the EU quite a number of
present MEPs would have to leave the EP! And should also those who
oppose their "state" be disqualified? Sorry to say it bluntly but if
these are the main motives for the majority of the Latvian Parliament to
exclude a person from being observer in the EP the Saeima has quite a
lot to learn about democracy�. �It seems to me that there is a prima
facie case that Latvia has disqualified itself from membership of the EU
by adopting an anti-democratic, anti-free-speech position�, commented
Roger Helmer (PPE-DE). �The essence of democracy is the right to express
minority opinions. The actions of the Latvian parliament are a disgrace
and will reflect poorly on Latvia. I have never met or spoken to Mr
Bekasovs and from what I know of them, as a member of the European
Movement, I certainly do not support his views. I do however support his
right to hold them...�, Richard Balfe (PPE-DE) stated. Lennart Sacredeus
(PPE-DE) proposed to different groups of the EP to bring up this issue
as urgency for the EP session. 

After the issue of Mr Bekasovs was discussed in the EP President's
office, a letter was sent to the chair of the Saeima (Parliament) of
Latvia. EP expresses concern that withdrawal of Mr Bekasovs could
violate the principle of the freedom of expression (the newspaper
�Diena� (�The Day�), November 20). However, columnist of the
Latvian-language newspaper �Lauku Avize� (�The Rural Newspaper�) states
on November 20 that the main mistake of the Parliament was to elect
Bekasovs an observer at all. He also reminds that the draft Law on the
Elections to the European Parliament does not contain political
restrictions for the candidates (see Minority issues in Latvia, No. 76,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-November/003021.html ),
which could be an obstacle for promoting official position of the
government. 

Some days later several parliamentary factions (ruling New Era party and
�For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK�, as well as oppositional People's
Party) declared their intention to introduce lustration restrictions.
Electoral legislation of Latvia provides that persons who were active in
the Communist Party, Komsomol, Interfront, and some veteran
organizations after January 13, 1991, cannot run for both parliamentary
and municipal elections (although these organizations were legislatively
banned only in August 1991 - see corresponding provisions of the Saeima
Election Law at
http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Latvia/Latvia_ElecParl_excerpts_English.htm).
The same principle applies to former KGB agents. As chair of the
Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs Solvita Aboltina (New Era
party) pointed out, �We are not afraid that such persons could threaten
the independence of the EU. But we have the right to decide, whom we
trust to represent the state and the state's common position in the EU�
(�Lauku Avize� (�The Rural Newspaper�), November 20). �The state is to
be represented by persons, who express official policy of the state�,
she also said (news agency LETA, November 21). 


European Commission publishes monitoring report: minority issues
reflected 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The European Commission has published the Comprehensive monitoring
report on Latvia's preparations for membership (see at
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/report_2003/pdf/cmr_lv_final.pdf
). In fact, it was the last Commission's monitoring report before Latvia
joins the EU (May 1, 2004). Unlike in previous years, the Commission
almost does not focus on political criteria for membership. In the
meantime, some issues concerning minorities are touched upon in the part
devote to implementation of acquis. 

In the field of social policy and employment it is mentioned that
particular attention should be given to integrating ethnic minorities.
Latvia has incorporated some anti-discrimination provisions in its new
Labour Law. However, important shortcomings subsists with regard to the
full transposition of the acquis. Moreover, the Equality Body required
by the acquis needs to be established. In this context, Latvia is
strongly encouraged to promote integration of the Russian minority by,
in particular, continuing to accelerate the speed of naturalisation
procedures, and by taking other proactive measures to increase the rate
of naturalisation. 

It is also expected to ensure sufficient flexibility regarding
transition to bilingual education in minority schools, and to ensure
that at all levels the implementation of the language law respects the
principle of justified public interest and proportionality, as well as
Latvia's international obligations. 

Our commentary 

We regret that respect towards ethnic minorities as an essential element
of political criteria for the EU membership is not reflected in the
report at all, especially taking into account recent developments
concerning minority education reform etc. However, the European
Parliament will possibly touch upon the issue, when preparing a report
on human rights in accession countries. EP rapporteur Elisabeth
Schroedter will visit Latvia on December 1-2. On the other hand, one
should note that some topical minority issues (naturalisation, education
reform, language legislation) are mentioned in the chapter devoted to
implementation of acquis. It could mean that the European Union will
perceive the problems of ethnic minorities in Latvia as the problem of
non-discrimination (where the EU could act under Article 13 of the
Treaty establishing the European Community), and not as the specifiic
problem of protection of minorities (where the EU establishes rules as
political criteria for accession countries, but not legal standards for
member states). 

 
Chairperson of the PACE Monitoring Committee visits Latvia: no human
rights violations declared 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chairperson of the PACE Committee on the Honouring of obligations and
commitments by member states of the Council of Europe (Monitoring
Committee) Mme Josette Durrieu (France) has visited Latvia for the
second time. She met the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Prime Minister
Einars Repse, ministers and other state officials, as well as
representatives of human rights NGOs and Russian-speaking community
within the framework of so called "post-monitoring" procedure. The
monitoring procedure in respect of Latvia was closed on January 23,
2001; in June 2002, some members of PACE suggested reopening the
monitoring procedure (see details in Minority issues in Latvia, No. 62,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-February/002553.html). 

During the press conference after the visit Mme Durrieu mentioned that
she was mainly interested in three topics: education for minorities,
naturalisation and ratification of the Framework Convention for the
Protection of National Minorities. As regards education, she believes
that compromise is achieved, as the Education Law is amended, and
state-supported secondary education will not be switched to Latvian as
the sole language of instruction, but up to 40% will be taught in
minority languages. She recommended to facilitate naturalisation
procedures, as well as to grant the citizenship of Latvia without
additional procedures to newborn children, even if their parents are not
citizens of Latvia. The Prime Minister informed Mme Durrieu, that the
Parliament is going to create a sub-commission to discuss the issue of
ratification of the Framework Convention. As Mme Durrieu concluded,
there are no minority problems in Latvia, which could be qualified as
human rights violations (the newspaper �Latvijas Vestnesis� (�The
Latvian Herald�), November 21). 

Our commentary 

In our opinion, any violation of minority rights is a human rights
violation, as minority rights are an integral part of fundamental human
rights. We assume that opinion by Mme Durrieu could be influenced by the
position of her country, where ethnic minorities are not recognised as
such. In any case, we cannot agree that there is a compromise concerning
state-supported education in minority languages. In fact, one right-wing
coalition accepted a wrong decision in 1998, but another one slightly
softened it in 2003. Opinion of minorities did not influence the process
at all, and recent protest activities, described in previous issues of
our newsletter, prove it. 


The EU as an incentive for naturalisation? 
------------------------------------------ 

The naturalisation figures in comparison to the last year have grown in
some branches of the Naturalisation Board up to 200 per cent. This trend
is especially visible after the referendum on the EU membership. As the
daily �Telegraf� argues, this is the result of the free Latvian-language
courses as well as lowered naturalization fee (�Telegraf� (�The
Telegraph�), November 3).  

Journalist Aleksander Shabanov in his article expressed opinion that
many non-citizens have chosen to undergo the naturalization process
because they realize now, that Latvia will not become part of Russia
anymore (http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=107579&lang=lv ). Mr
Shabanov states, that these candidates for citizenship are skeptical
towards the government of Latvia and hope that Brussels will exercise
its control in Latvia. Some others are simply afraid that when
immigrants' flow will reach Latvia non-citizens will be treated like
those newcomers. 

The UN has decided to grant this and next year USD 380,000 for the
organisation of the Latvian language courses free of charge for
naturalization applicants. This should give the possibility to 5000
people to improve their knowledge of Latvian within these two years.
Between 2000 and 2002 such free courses of Latvian have been attended by
3400 people. The year 2003 is the only year when the government has
co-financed such courses. Granted LVL 50,000 (approx. EUR 75,800) were
used to educate 1500 people. There is no further funding for this
purpose anticipated in the budget of 2004 (�Lauku Avize� (�The Rural
Newspaper�), November 6). 

The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga also mentioned the issue of
naturalisation in her speech on the Independence Day (November 18). She
said, �We cannot look at, and we shall not let that the people could be
divided because of their ancestors, their origin, their ethnicity,
colour of their skin of belief� Everyone, who wishes so and is ready for
that, has an opportunity to become the citizen of the state. I call on
everyone, who is born here or has chosen this land as a domicile, to
make this choice.� (�Latvijas Vestnesis� (�The Latvian Herald�),
November 19). 


Secretary-General of NATO PA comments on the Russian-language press in
Latvia 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Secretary-General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Simon Lunn has sent
a letter to Head of the Latvian delegation to NATO PA and MP Guntis
Berzins in which he expresses his disappointment with the low quality of
the Russian-language press in Latvia (�Lauku Avize� (�The Rural
Newspaper�), November 6). Mr Lunn emphasises, that some statements of
the members of the NATO PA delegation visiting Latvia in the end of
September (see Minority issues in Latvia, No. 74,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-October/002974.html) were
quoted only partly or ripped out of context and thus falsified by the
journalists from the Russian-language newspapers. Some comments were
even invented. For instance, Mr Lunn points out that he never said that
the delegation met only those people, who were thoroughly chosen by the
criterion of the loyalty to the government, or that the delegation �did
not hear the people of Latvia�, as it was reflected by the
Russian-language press. He stressed that the impression the delegation
got was: �The politics of the government towards the Russian-speaking
minority in Latvia has made visible progress and is matching European
standards. The main part of this problem lies within the unwillingness
of the Russian-speaking population to accept the necessity to become a
part of Latvia's society�. 

Our commentary 

We understand the premise of such interpretation of the situation in
Latvia. However, we are of the opinion, that the criteria used by NATO
PA delegation might differ somewhat from our own - the more so that the
representatives of the NATO PA have never bothered to explain what
particular "European standards" they mean (should these be, for example,
related to the norms of the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities?). The absence of an armed ethnic conflict in Latvia
does not exclude the existence of problems in this field. The
representatives of organisations, which work primarily in the field of
human rights, have time and again expressed their opinion on this issue.
For example, the view of UN, CoE, EP or OSCE observers differs
considerably from the one of the NATO PA delegation. 

 
Minister on vandalism at Russian cemetery: �We should protect alive
people, not dead� 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

As the Russian-language newspaper �Vesti Segodnya� reported, vandals
destroyed numerous graves at the Russian Orthodox Pokrov Cemetery. These
where the graves of the nuns who hided children from nazi, thus saving
them from concentration camps during the World War II, and also many
other graves (�Vesti Segodnya� (�The News Today�), November 5,
http://rus.delfi.lv/news/press/vesti/article.php?id=6714553). Acts of
vandalism have been taking place at this cemetery for many years. The
newspaper points out that recent acts of vandalism took place on the
Halloween. Before that several acts of vandalism took place also at the
Jewish cemetery (see Minority issues in Latvia, No. 74,
http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-October/002974.html ). As
�Vesti Segodnya� emphasises, Latvian politicians were compassionated
about the acts of vandalism at the Jewish cemetery, but they didn't say
a word and did nothing about the Pokrov Cemetry. The Russian-language
newspaper �Chas� (�The Hour�) has published the statement of the
Minister for Interior Maris Gulbis, who told that he had no possibility
to protect this cemetery and that �we should protect alive people, not
dead� (�Chas�, November 6). �Vesti Segodnya� called on people to give a
helping hand in cleaning up the cemetery and �the graves of their
forefathers�. It also stated, that people would do this, but �they would
never forget such attitude to them�. 

Social Integration Foundation funds the Latvian-language courses 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 

The Social Integration Foundation (SIF) in Latvia will give the
opportunity to attend the Latvian-language courses free of charge or for
symbolic fee. LVL 185,200 (approx. EUR 280,000) have been allocated for
this purpose. As the Russian-language daily �Telegraf� (�The Telegraph�)
notes, many organisations were interested in these courses. Nils Sakss,
Head of the SIF secretariat, announced that people whose income is lower
than LVL 100 will attend the courses for free. Others will pay partly,
but those whose income is higher than LVL 600 will pay the whole fee
(�Telegraf�, October 31, http://rus.delfi.lv/temp/telegraf/T500-04.pdf
). The representative of the SIF points out that if the courses are
successful, than there will be money given for minority integration
projects. It is possible that in future the funds of the European Union
will be used to support the Latvian-language courses. The newspaper
�Diena� (�The Day�) mentions that everyone will be able to attend these
courses, not only applicants for naturalization, as it used to be
(October 31). The official newspaper �Latvijas Vestnesis� (�The Latvian
Herald�) announced that the SIF will also support 18 projects, which aim
is to provide society with information about changes in minority
education scheduled for 2004 (October 31). Support will be provided also
for mass media, which is going to make information programmes. The SIF
hopes that such information campaigns will help to de-politicise the
problems of education and promote tolerance in society. Besides, in the
framework of Phare programme, SIF has allocated EUR 1,280,000 for 31
project in the field of ethnic integration, mainly for the promotion of
political participation and naturalisation (�Diena� (�The Day�),
November 28).


One year of the Minister for Social Integration 
---------------------------------------------- 

One year passed since the office of the Minister for Special Assignments
for Society Integration Affairs was established in Latvia. Minister Nils
Muiznieks organised a press conference on November 21. He stated that
indifference of the governing is one of the obstacles for integration in
Latvia. "Some want to settle social problems using integration and
foster naturalization, others see strengthening of the role of the
Latvian language in it. We think that integration is a complex
phenomenon", the Minister told. Though this year was politically
difficult, the Minister had projects to be proud of. His office worked
with some hundred ethnic minority organisations. Two projects are seen
as especially successful: "Latvia begins with us" realised with the
Union of Local Governments for border regions of Latvia and a number of
reports on the role of mass media in integration of Latvia.
Naturalisation is the problem where ministry wants to be engaged.
Besides, the Minister is going to create an information centre for
minority NGOs, where a library and consultation on the EU funds would be
available free of charge (�Chas� (�The Hour�), November 22). 


The debates on non-citizens enflame after the referendum on the EU 
-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

After the referendum on the EU accession, the issue of non-citizens'
political participation gained on importance. Thus, the Latvian-language
daily �Diena� (�The Day�) has published an article named �Euro-repair
for the Russian communities� written by journalist Anna Stroy (�Diena�,
October 31). The article is devoted to the exclusion of non-citizens
from political participation. The author mentions that some years ago
one influential Latvian journalist had admitted privately that �We
(ethnic Latvians - ed.) were forced to exclude Russian-speakers from
politics, for they would never vote for NATO or the EU. As soon as these
goals are achieved we can become more liberal.� Ms Stroy states that
Europe perceives the Russian-speaking population of Latvia as a valuable
resource. Often they are well-educated people who could contribute to
establishing good relationship between EU and Russia. According to her,
�These are not Russian-speakers who would cause problems in the enlarged
EU. It's their non-citizens' status�. Ms Stroy also quotes former Head
of the OSCE mission to Latvia Peter Semneby who stated, �The EU will
have to think about the non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia. At the
moment we await the results of the naturalization process.� 

�It is clear that the party which will allow non-citizens to vote, will
automatically gain more votes from the Russian-speaking citizens in any
elections�, states another journalist Danuta Dembovska (see
http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=107560&lang=lv). �These voters are
vulnerable and easy to get especially now, when the relative monopoly of
HRUL (pro-minority political union �For Human Rights in the United
Latvia�) has been destroyed. Yet, none of the parties traditionally
working with the Latvian electorate has managed to offer anything to the
Russians-speakers�. Ms Dembovska argues that the participation of
non-citizens in politics will most likely change the political arena of
Latvia. That's why the parties working with the Latvian electorate are
still so cautious. 

Our commentary 

�Minority issues in Latvia� attempted to draw more attention to the
problem of non-citizens in Latvia for several years. We are glad that
this issue is now coming into agenda of the Latvian-language press.
However, it must be mentioned that all the journalists quoted above are
mainly working in the Russian-language press. 


--------------- 
Compiled by: 

Tatyana Bogushevitch 
Yuri Dubrovsky 
Alyona Babitch 
Alexander Kiselyov 

 
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Minority issues in Latvia 
Newsletter published by the Latvian Human Rights Committee (F.I.D.H.) 
Subscription/inquiries: minissues@delfi.lv 
Back issues: http://www.minelres.lv/count/latvia.htm#MinIssuesLatvia 
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