• The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting
• TV5 might loose its broadcasting license
• Registration refused to political party chaired by a non-citizen of Latvia

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting. The President stated that “Latvia has always been a country in which people of various nationalities and religious denominations live in friendship. We can be proud of the fact that people in our country are free to select their religious affiliation, thus seeking out the deepest sources of their faith”. Orthodox Christmas is not officially recognized holiday in Latvia.

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting. The President stated that Latvia has always been a country in which people of various nationalities and religious denominations live in friendship. We can be proud of the fact that people in our country are free to select their religious affiliation, thus seeking out the deepest sources of their faith. Orthodox Christmas is not officially recognized holiday in Latvia. Neatkarīgā, Chas, Vesti Segodya, Telegraf

In an interview with internet portal

In an interview with internet portal politika.lv the head of the National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) Abrams Kleckins stated that if the court will rule that an incitement to ethnic hatred took place in TV5s broadcast Un-censored, the NRTC might revoke the channels broadcasting license. As reported, viewers of TV5s live broadcast Un-censored on 18 November were asked: What was Latvias acquisition of independence? and one of the offered answers was it was a fatal mistake. The NRTC considered that such question is inappropriate and fined TV5 with LVL1000 (EUR 1422). The TV5 channel is planning to contest the fine in court. Telegraf

Vesti Segodya reports that political party 13 January Movement was refused registration for the second time. The Register of Enterprises pointed out that Vladimirs Lindermans cannot chair the party, because he is a non-citizen of Latvia, and that according to the Security Police, the constituent meeting of the party did not take place. According to Mr. Lindermans, following the constituent meeting, its participants were individually summoned to and pressured by the Security Police.

• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM plans to gather 10,000 signatures to ensure that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language

Newspapers report that the right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) plans to gather 10,000 signatures for its initiative to enshrine in the Constitution that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language. The initiative could imply transition of all elementary and secondary state-funded minority schools to education only in Latvian language. There are concerns that FF/LNIM, a member of the ruling coalition, is focusing on the issue now because its popularity is very low while the parliamentary elections will be held within less than a year.

Newspapers report that the right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) plans to gather 10,000 signatures for its initiative to enshrine in the Constitution that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language. The initiative could imply transition of all elementary and secondary state-funded minority schools to education only in Latvian language. There are concerns that FF/LNIM, a member of the ruling coalition, is focusing on the issue now because its popularity is very low while the parliamentary elections will be held within less than a year. Chas, Vesti Segodya

• Chas reports about a project Establishment of Resource Centre for Ukrainians

Chas reports about a project Establishment of Resource Centre for Ukrainians aimed at adaptation of Ukrainian migrants in Latvia implemented by NGO Dialogi.lv funded by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals. The resource centre was opened in September 2009 and granted support to 69 Ukrainians. Part of those took Latvian language courses, others courses on improvement of professional qualifications.

• Latvijas Avize analyzes statement made by the President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedyev who declared that Russia will support Russian language mass media abroad

Latvijas Avize analyzes statement made by the President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedyev who declared that Russia will support Russian language mass media abroad. According to Latvijas Avize, financial support to Russian language media in Latvia will bring Russias propaganda and endanger information space. Head of the Saeimas Human Rights and Social Affairs Committee Ingrida Circene considers that all foreign activities which lower national self-confidence of ethnic Latvians should be limited. Mrs. Circene does not think that all foreign financial support should be limited, yet she believes that the aims of foreign funding should be specified.

• State Language Centre will continue inspections for state language proficiency of municipal deputies in 2010
• Nationalistically-minded ethnic Latvian teachers united in union which demands for full transition of all state funded schools to teaching in Latvian language

 

According to the head of the Language Control Department of the State Language Centre (SLC) Antons Kursitis, the Centre will continue inspections for state language proficiency of municipal deputies in 2010. The SLC already punished several municipal deputies for insufficient state language proficiency since 1 September 2009. According to Mr. Kursitis, recent inspections in the Jurmala and Riga City Councils did not reveal any violations because the deputies named in complaints received by the SLC have sufficient language proficiency. Chas

Vesti Segodnya reports that nationalistically-minded ethnic Latvian teachers united in union which demands for full transition of all state funded schools to teaching in Latvian language. The union considers that if such principle will be implemented in kindergartens in three years it will be possible to implement it in primary schools and in other three years in elementary schools.