Amidst a heated European debate of how best to emerge from financial difficulties, debt, lowered credit ratings, as well as what conditions and sanctions the inter-governmental financial discipline agreement should contain, Latvia, with its multi-ethnic society, has been thrown into a pre-referendum debate on an issue that seemed to be closed already in the early 1990s. Tons of emotions have been splashed around.
The referendum subject is an appeal to amend the Satversme (Constitution) with an aim to grant the Russian language the status of the second official state language. It will take place on February 18.
The language referendum was initiated by an NGO called Native Tongue, founded by A.Gapoņenko, E.Svatkov, V.Linderman, and Y.Osipov. In a cynical way, the name has been borrowed from the title of the probably most famous Awakening period song of protest, “Dzimtā valoda,” performed by the popular group Līvi and sung in defence of the Latvian language during Perestroika era in the USSR 1987-1990.
In autumn 2011, the claim for amendments in the articles 4,18,21,101 and 104 of the Satversme (Constitution) was signed by 187,378 citizens, a number even slightly above one-tenth of the electorate. However, for amendments to be adopted, 771,350 votes of support are needed in the national referendum.

On Sunday, February 19, at 11:00 a.m., the Latvian Institute will host a briefing and a Q&A session on the results and outcome of the National Referendum on amendments in the Constitution in order to grant the Russian language the status of the second official language.

Hosted by Ms. Karina Petersone, director of the Latvian Institute

Experts on the Panel:

Mr. Ivars Ījabs – political scientist, University of Latvia
Mr. Mārtiņš Mits – Dr.iur, lector, pro-rector of the Rīga School of Law, member of the Constitutional Committee at the President’s Chancellery
Ms. Jeļena Matjakubova – chairperson, Russian Culture Society of Latvia
Ms. Anhelita Kamenska –director, Latvian Centre for Human Rights

The working language: English