In this issue:

• Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs: ethnic Russian residents of Latvia will not disappear from Latvia

• Ex-advisor of the ex-Minister of Culture Andrejs Berdnikovs: Sarmite Elerte did not take into consideration critics regarding the integration program

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with one of the leaders of the Concord Centre (CC), the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs. According to Mr Usakovs, the official position of the CC is that Latvian language should remain the only state language in Latvia. At the same time, usage of Russian language should be widened – granting residents rights to communicate to municipal institutions in Russian, writing original Russian spelling of name and surname in passport, and other issues. Mr Usakovs believes that ethnic Russian residents of Latvia will not disappear from the country and will not become ethnic Latvians. And, therefore, the state should achieve that its Russian residents will clearly identify themselves with Latvia and preserve their identity.

In an interview with radio station “Baltkom”, Andrejs Berdnikovs, ex-advisor of the ex-Minister of Culture, stated that he was forced to leave the post of the Minister’s advisor because his opinion contradicted the Minister’s Sarmite Elerte’s opinion regarding the elaboration of the integration program. According to Mr Berdnikovs, the Minister Elerte also did not take into consideration not only his opinion, but also criticism expressed by the members of the advisory council and civil society. Chas

For further information: Latvian Centre for Human Rights.