• Nils Usakovs – first ethnic Russian Mayor of Riga
• Eizenija Aldermane: Riga City Council will work on integration issues
• Centre for Curriculum Development and Examinations lacks capacity to consider all applications from persons willing to take state language proficiency tests

Yesterday, Nils Usakovs (Concord Centre) was elected to the post of the Mayor of Riga. Nils Usakovs is the first ethnic Russian Mayor of Riga. Ainars Slesers (Latvia’s First Part/Latvia’s Way) was elected to the post of Vice-Mayor. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA

In an interview with Telegraf, the new Head of the Committee on Education, Sport, Youth, Culture, Art and Religion Affairs of the Riga City Council Eizenija Aldermane (ex-head of the Naturalisation Board) stated that the Committee will work also on integration issues. According to Mrs. Aldermane, Riga is the only big European city which does not have its integration program.

Latvijas Avize reports the Centre for Curriculum Development and Examinations lacks capacity to consider all applications from persons willing to take state language proficiency tests. Presently, one can only apply for examinations scheduled for the next year. Such situation is caused partly because the state language proficiency requirements were increased recently for many professions so the people are forced to go through the language examinations again in order to receive new language proficiency certificate.