Today news:
Ombudsman Romans Apsitis: state and municipal institutions working on promotion of integration and observance of human rights should be granted the right to provide information in foreign languages
Ministry of Justice will be entrusted with integration policy
The Ombudsman Romans Apsitis replied to a request of the party For Human Rights in United Latvia regarding compliance of Article 21 of the State Language Law with Latvian Constitution. The article prohibits state and municipal institutions to provide information in foreign languages accept in particularly mentioned cases. The Ombudsman concluded that the threats to the state sovereignty are not as acute as some 10 years ago, and therefore normative regulations should be well-grounded and proportionately changed. The Ombudsman considers that state and municipal institutions which work on promotion of integration and observance of human rights should be granted the right to provide information in foreign languages without special request. According to a representative of the FHRUL, conclusion of the Ombudsman will serve as a basis for turning to the Constitutional Court, challenging the compliance of Article 21 with the Constitution. Chas, Vesti Segodnya
Yesterday, the government decided to divide functions of the Ministry of Children, Family and Integration Affairs among three other ministries. Elaboration and implementation of integration policy will be entrusted to the Ministry of Justice. NRA
For further information:
Latvian Centre for Human Rights