The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights stands up for �non-citizens� RIGA, November 15 / Corr. ITAR-TASS Nil Ushakov - Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles yet once more called Latvian Authorities to grant to local Russian-speaking �non-citizens� the right to elect the self-government. That�s what he announced today in front of journalists in Riga. The Commissioner has also paid attention to the necessity to reduce the number of �non-citizens�, which now counts almost half a million people. Alvaro Gil-Robles today has been to Latvia for a one-day visit, during which he met with the officiating Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks, the officiating Minister for Social Integration Nils Muizhnieks and a number of representatives of non-governmental organizations. During his last visit of this Baltic Republic the Commissioner also called Latvian authorities to permit �non-citizens� to take part in municipal elections. Today about 500 000 �non-citizens� are deprived of all political rights. Recently another high-rank European official, Supreme Commissioner of the OSCE Rolf Ekeus, spoke out the recommendation to broaden their rights. But the country�s authorities refuse for different reasons to take this step. Source: ITAR-TASS
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights stands up for �non-citizens�
The Commissioner has also paid attention to the necessity to reduce the number of �non-citizens�, which now counts almost half a million people. Alvaro Gil-Robles today has been to Latvia for a one-day visit, during which he met with the officiating Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks, the officiating Minister for Social Integration Nils Muizhnieks and a number of representatives of non-governmental organizations.
During his last visit of this Baltic Republic the Commissioner also called Latvian authorities to permit �non-citizens� to take part in municipal elections. Today about 500 000 �non-citizens� are deprived of all political rights. Recently another high-rank European official, Supreme Commissioner of the OSCE Rolf Ekeus, spoke out the recommendation to broaden their rights. But the country�s authorities refuse for different reasons to take this step.
Source: ITAR-TASS
