Press Review

Press Review

The State Language Training Program in co-operation with the UNDP has opened a regional office of the Latvian Language Training Program in Liepaja. A similar office was opened in Daugavpils in September last year. As the Director of the State Language Training Program Aija Priedite told

The State Language Training Program in co-operation with the UNDP has opened a regional office of the Latvian Language Training Program in Liepaja. A similar office was opened in Daugavpils in September last year. As the Director of the State Language Training Program Aija Priedite told Jauna Avize, in Liepaja where are many teachers of Latvian as the second language there was a great needed for the place where to hold the methodological seminars, to have a library.

The Estonian parliament has adopted the amendments to the Language Law providing for the state language proficiency requirements for the employees of the institutions and enterprises which deal with the distribution of goods and services. The Amendments still need to be promulgated by the State President, and it is planned that they will come into force on 1 July. The amendments also provide that the foreign specialists or experts who have stayed in Estonia on the grounds of the work permit, more than a year, should know the Estonian language.

The Estonian parliament has adopted the amendments to the Language Law providing for the state language proficiency requirements for the employees of the institutions and enterprises which deal with the distribution of goods and services. The Amendments still need to be promulgated by the State President, and it is planned that they will come into force on 1 July. The amendments also provide that the foreign specialists or experts who have stayed in Estonia on the grounds of the work permit, more than a year, should know the Estonian language. Diena

In order to avoid possible incidents, the Cabinet of Ministers has planned to discuss how to commemorate the 16th of March this year, the Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans told journalists.

In order to avoid possible incidents, the Cabinet of Ministers has planned to discuss how to commemorate the 16th of March this year, the Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans told journalists. Diena

According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs, the Russia’s reaction to the changes in the sphere of the Latvian citizenship, is not adequate. The Minister stressed that for improvement of the Latvian-Russian relations, certain steps should made, for example, the work of the intergovernmental commission should be resumed, the agreements signed, the economic sanctions lifted. Besides, Latvia cannot accept reprimands concerning the violation of the international standards, since the Russia’s opinion differs from the position of Latvia and of the international organisations.

According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs, the Russias reaction to the changes in the sphere of the Latvian citizenship, is not adequate. The Minister stressed that for improvement of the Latvian-Russian relations, certain steps should made, for example, the work of the intergovernmental commission should be resumed, the agreements signed, the economic sanctions lifted. Besides, Latvia cannot accept reprimands concerning the violation of the international standards, since the Russias opinion differs from the position of Latvia and of the international organisations. Diena

The Program on the Social Integration of Latvia was discussed at the first meeting of the Consultative Council of Nationalities at the State President’s Office. The chapter on the education was criticised by Boris Tsilevich (

The Program on the Social Integration of Latvia was discussed at the first meeting of the Consultative Council of Nationalities at the State Presidents Office. The chapter on the education was criticised by Boris Tsilevich (For the Human Rights) who believes that the chapter is directed towards the gradual assimilation. B&B writes the some participants of the meeting felt that the State President was not fully informed about the opinion of the OSCE concerning the program, the Education Law and the State Language law.

SM publishes a story about the Riga Secondary School No 46 where the State Language Inspectorate found that 23 teachers held false state language certificates.

Dienain Russian interviews the State Secretary of the Latvian MFA Maris Riekstins who visited Moscow last week. According to Maris Riekstins, both sides agreed to resume the dialogue which was discontinued last year. As a positive moment of the visit Mr. Riekstins mentions the obtained authentic information about the Russias position, its arguments and perspective on the future relationship with Latvia. Mr. Riekstins regrets that the discussion about some issues, mainly of the humanitarian sphere, was not of the constructive nature since the Russias position differs from the position of Latvia and of international organisations.

Former leaders of the Democratic Party

Former leaders of the Democratic Party Saimnieks and the MP s of the 6th Saeima Ziedonis Cevers has become the Advisor of the State President on Security and Integration issues. Diena

Press Review

Press Review

Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Birkavs considers that the reaction of Russia is not adequate to the changes that have taken place in Latvia, as well as to the positive evaluation of Latvian development.. He thinks there is a need for a concrete action from Russia - to start the activities of the intergovernmental commission, sign agreements, annull sanctions, not just words stating some improvement in the bilateral relations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also added that Latvia cound not accept reproaches on violating international standards, because the opinion of Russia did not correspond with the opinion of OSCE experts and foreign officials.

Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Birkavs considers that the reaction of Russia is not adequate to the changes that have taken place in Latvia, as well as to the positive evaluation of Latvian development.. He thinks there is a need for a concrete action from Russia - to start the activities of the intergovernmental commission, sign agreements, annull sanctions, not just words stating some improvement in the bilateral relations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also added that Latvia cound not accept reproaches on violating international standards, because the opinion of Russia did not correspond with the opinion of OSCE experts and foreign officials. Neatkariga, SM

Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Linda pointed out that Russia should sign the border agreements with Latvia and Estonia as soon as possible. At the same time Russian National Council should ratify the border agreement with Lithuania that had already been signed.

Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Linda pointed out that Russia should sign the border agreements with Latvia and Estonia as soon as possible. At the same time Russian National Council should ratify the border agreement with Lithuania that had already been signed. Neatkariga

A good will of politicians and a favourable psychological climate in the society is necessary for a successful process of public integration. This idea was voiced at the meeting of the Consultative Council on Nationalities (CCN) while analysing the concept of integration. The State President and CCN members started on Wednesday and planned to continue for the whole half a year to discuss the concept

A good will of politicians and a favourable psychological climate in the society is necessary for a successful process of public integration. This idea was voiced at the meeting of the Consultative Council on Nationalities (CCN) while analysing the concept of integration. The State President and CCN members started on Wednesday and planned to continue for the whole half a year to discuss the concept Public integration in Latvia elaborated by a group of experts. Diena

The coalition of ruling partied did not punish the

The coalition of ruling partied did not punish the Union of Latvian Social Democrats for their organised re-election of the Saeima Commission on Social and Labour Affairs contrary to their former warning. But, as the Chairman of the ULSD Saeima faction E.Baldzens informed, the ULSD did not intend to step back from their principal issues. Diena

The newspaper

The newspaper SM writes about a strange situation in Jelgava - for more that a year 470 non-citizens have not arrived to collect their non-citizen passports. Citizens are not much more active - at the local DCMA office there are 300 non collected citizen passports. Four thousand Jelgava non-citizens do not submit documents for receiving a non-citizen passport at all. The only activity the local DCMA officials take to improve the situation is to put out in public the lists of these back sheep let everybody knows them.

Press Review

Press Review

The

The Union of Latvian Social Democrats, becoming a coalition member party, is now expanding its ambitions and demands for its share of the most influential posts. The Chairman of Riga City Council ULSD faction J.Gulbis said that the representation of political parties in the Council should be proportional to the number of deputies and therefore Social Democrats should be represented in the administration of the Council. Neatkariga, Jauna Avize

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Latvian - German agreement on annuling the visa regime with Germany. The agreement will take effect on March 1.

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Latvian - German agreement on annuling the visa regime with Germany. The agreement will take effect on March 1. Neatkariga, Diena

On Tuesday the Saeima Commission on Education, Culture and Science rejected the motion, made by the faction

On Tuesday the Saeima Commission on Education, Culture and Science rejected the motion, made by the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia, to the draft language law to regulate to use of the language only in the state institutions. As the Chairman of this Commission Dz.Abikis told Diena, the Commission had started to consider proposals, submitted for the second reading of this draft language law and expressed his conviction that the OSCE recommendations would be conceptually supported in this draft law. Diena

SM informs that journalists, who came for this meeting, were asked to leave the premises before the discussion started. The representative of the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia A.Bartashevich told journalists afterwards that Commission members rejected not only the above mentioned motion but also several other, e.g. to state that religious organisations have the right to chose the language freely, as well as the proposal of Max van der Stoel that the state should regulate the use of the language only at those enterprises, where the state owned more than 50 % of shares. The author of the article states that deputies are still unwilling to fulfil the recommendations of the OSCE High Commissioner and points out that, a representative of the OSCE Mission to Latvia was present at this meeting and she just could throw compassionate glances at the Deputy A.Bartashevich whose proposals were refused so unanimously. SM, Bizness & Baltiya

Prime Minister V.Kristopans announced at a press conference yesterday that, according to the opinion of all Prime Ministers of the Nordic countries, a guarantee for a stable situation in the Baltic Region was a need for good relationships with Russia.

Prime Minister V.Kristopans announced at a press conference yesterday that, according to the opinion of all Prime Ministers of the Nordic countries, a guarantee for a stable situation in the Baltic Region was a need for good relationships with Russia. SM

The demands of Russia concerning national minorities differ from the opinion of European structures. And it means that they are not mandatory for us. This announcement was made by Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins after his meeting with the Russian Depyty Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. But M.Riekstins did not specify what demands he was talking about. Such statements caused incomprehension of the Russian party. A high MFA official informed that Russian party did not put forward any new demands, especially the ones contradicting to European recommendations. They just had discussed the draft language law, several norms of which were contradictory to a number of European conventions, and this fact had been recognised by the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel during his visit to Riga. Russian party also had expressed their concern about the slow speed of naturalisation. In his turn, M.Riekstins, without providing any concrete facts, stated that Latvia did not have any accute problems with national minorities.

SM

Press Review

Press Review

Discussing the EU Nordic Dimension Project at the meeting in Helsinki yesterday, the parliamentary and governmental representatives of the Baltic and Scandinavian countries supported this regional initiative and emphasised that it would strengthen the regional co-operation and would actively involve Russia. Meeting with the Latvian Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans, the Norwegian Prime Minister K. M. Bondevik said that Latvia has fulfilled all the OSCE requirements and Russia should not present any claims with regard to that. The Norwegian Prime Minister also said that the Baltic State and the NATO should continue the co-operation programmes in the military sphere, so that Latvia would integrate into the NATO.

Discussing the EU Nordic Dimension Project at the meeting in Helsinki yesterday, the parliamentary and governmental representatives of the Baltic and Scandinavian countries supported this regional initiative and emphasised that it would strengthen the regional co-operation and would actively involve Russia. Meeting with the Latvian Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans, the Norwegian Prime Minister K. M. Bondevik said that Latvia has fulfilled all the OSCE requirements and Russia should not present any claims with regard to that. The Norwegian Prime Minister also said that the Baltic State and the NATO should continue the co-operation programmes in the military sphere, so that Latvia would integrate into the NATO. Diena, Jauna Avize

Commenting the meeting with the State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry Maris Riekstins during his visit to Moscow, the head of the International Relations Commission of the Russian Duma Vladimir Lukin said that Latvia does not fulfil the requirements of the international organisations on national minorities and ignores the opinion of Russia regarding this issue.

Commenting the meeting with the State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry Maris Riekstins during his visit to Moscow, the head of the International Relations Commission of the Russian Duma Vladimir Lukin said that Latvia does not fulfil the requirements of the international organisations on national minorities and ignores the opinion of Russia regarding this issue. Chas

Neatkariga's journalist Viktors Avotins comments the draft law providing the non-citizens with the right to participate in the municipal elections that was initiated by the Union for Human Rights in the United Latvia. Even though the draft law might be rejected by the majority of the MPs, it should be taken seriously be because this issue will be brought up again. V. Avotins suggests not to wait till other will start teaching us and to prepare a political, well-grounded opinion regarding this issue.

Neatkariga's journalist Voldemars Hermanis discusses the role of the OSCE in the conflict situations. The question is whether the OSCE is a noteworthy arbitrator in a case of a real conflict before the NATO arrives in the region. Mr. Hermanis quotes the magazine Transitions saying that the OSCE is a useful helper to the NATO for fulfilling extraordinary and thankless work.

The Centre of the Non-Governmental Organisations believes that many of the suggested amendments to the Law on the Public Organisations will not promote the development of the NGO’ s in Latvia, therefore the Centre prepares own version of the amendments that will be submitted to the Saeima State Administration and Municipal Committee.

The Centre of the Non-Governmental Organisations believes that many of the suggested amendments to the Law on the Public Organisations will not promote the development of the NGO s in Latvia, therefore the Centre prepares own version of the amendments that will be submitted to the Saeima State Administration and Municipal Committee. Diena

Press Review

Press Review

On Monday the State Language Inspectorate will submit to the State Education Inspectorate a report about 285 forged state language certificates held by the educators. The majority of the forged certificates was stated in Daugavpils -90 certificates, in Riga - 84, in Liepaja - 11.

On Monday the State Language Inspectorate will submit to the State Education Inspectorate a report about 285 forged state language certificates held by the educators. The majority of the forged certificates was stated in Daugavpils -90 certificates, in Riga - 84, in Liepaja - 11. Diena, Jauna Avize, Neatkariga

The Head of the Saeima Commission on Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Lagzdins told 

The Head of the Saeima Commission on Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Lagzdins toldDiena that the commission supports the allocation of additional 10 thousand Lats for the Naturalisation Board to hire new staff members for the examination commissions.

Russia is ready for the normalisation of the relations with Latvia if there is the cardinal improvement of the situation of the Russian-speaking population in the country, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated after the visit of the State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry Maris Riekstins to Moscow. Many important issues, for example, fastening of the naturalisation process, adoption of not-discriminating Education law, facilitation of family reunion process, are still not being solved. Mr. Riekstins admitted that the visit did not become a turning point in the Latvian-Russian relations. According to Mr. Riekstins, the main disagreements between Latvia and Russia remain concerning the situation of the Russian speaking population. BIZNES&BALTIYA; quotes Mr. Riekstins who said that” While the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel during his last visit said that the Law on Education complies with the international norms, Russia argues that it does not comply. “ During the meeting with the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A. Avdeev the Latvian delegation emphasised the importance of the resumption of the intergovernmental commission’s work. There are several draft agreements tat are prepared to be signed, for example, the border agreement, the agreement on investment promotion and protection.

Russia is ready for the normalisation of the relations with Latvia if there is the cardinal improvement of the situation of the Russian-speaking population in the country, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated after the visit of the State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry Maris Riekstins to Moscow. Many important issues, for example, fastening of the naturalisation process, adoption of not-discriminating Education law, facilitation of family reunion process, are still not being solved. Mr. Riekstins admitted that the visit did not become a turning point in the Latvian-Russian relations. According to Mr. Riekstins, the main disagreements between Latvia and Russia remain concerning the situation of the Russian speaking population. BIZNES&BALTIYA quotes Mr. Riekstins who said that While the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel during his last visit said that the Law on Education complies with the international norms, Russia argues that it does not comply. During the meeting with the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A. Avdeev the Latvian delegation emphasised the importance of the resumption of the intergovernmental commissions work. There are several draft agreements tat are prepared to be signed, for example, the border agreement, the agreement on investment promotion and protection. Diena, Neatkariga, B&B, Chas