Press Report

In an interview for the SM Antons Seiksts, the Chair of the Saeima Human Rights Commission regrets that the previous Saeima did not adopt the State Language Law whose draft for the 3rd reading was quite liberal. Mr. Seiksts supports the state control over the use of the language in the service sphere no matter whether it is a public or a private enterprise which provides the services. The present draft law, however, provides for the state control in any private enterprise and that, according to Mr. Seiksts, is a wrong approach. “As far as I know, Mr. Abikis continues corresponding with the European experts and during the 3rd reading of the draft law, these experts will be invited to the meetings of the Commission in order to help bring the document in conformity with the international and the European conventions, “ Mr. Seiksts told the journalist.

In an interview for the SM Antons Seiksts, the Chair of the Saeima Human Rights Commission regrets that the previous Saeima did not adopt the State Language Law whose draft for the 3rd reading was quite liberal. Mr. Seiksts supports the state control over the use of the language in the service sphere no matter whether it is a public or a private enterprise which provides the services. The present draft law, however, provides for the state control in any private enterprise and that, according to Mr. Seiksts, is a wrong approach. As far as I know, Mr. Abikis continues corresponding with the European experts and during the 3rd reading of the draft law, these experts will be invited to the meetings of the Commission in order to help bring the document in conformity with the international and the European conventions, Mr. Seiksts told the journalist. SM

Press Review

Press Review

The Saeima with no discussion affirmed

The Saeima with no discussion affirmed Social Democrat P.Salkazanovs in the post of the Minister of Agriculture. Neatkariga, Diena, Jauna Avize

The Saeima conceptually supported abandoning of the capital punishment as it was provided in the 6 th Protocol of European Convention on Protecting Human Rights and Freedoms. There were 76 votes for, 16 - against and 1 deputy refrained.

The Saeima conceptually supported abandoning of the capital punishment as it was provided in the 6 th Protocol of European Convention on Protecting Human Rights and Freedoms. There were 76 votes for, 16 - against and 1 deputy refrained. Neatkariga, Diena, Jauna Avize, Chas, SM, Bizness & Baltiya

Russia is still showing interest in human issues in Latvia, but Latvian and Russian positions in this question are different. This conclusion was made during the meeting of Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins and Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. And Russian position differs not only from Latvian position but also from the position of international organisations, e.g. OSCE. M.Riekstins also discussed a possibility to organise a meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries. This meeting could take place in May during the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Nordic countries and Russia.

Russia is still showing interest in human issues in Latvia, but Latvian and Russian positions in this question are different. This conclusion was made during the meeting of Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins and Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. And Russian position differs not only from Latvian position but also from the position of international organisations, e.g. OSCE. M.Riekstins also discussed a possibility to organise a meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries. This meeting could take place in May during the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Nordic countries and Russia. Neatkariga, Bizness & Baltiya

The

Union of Latvian Social Democrats is increasing its influence in the Saeima. A few hours after their representative P.Salkazanovs was affirmed in the post of the Minister of Agriculture, the ULSD faction called to replace the leader of Saeima Commission on Social and labour Affairs TB/LNNK representative A.Pozarnovs, and the Commission members did so. TB/LNNK and LC representatives were surprised by such an activity of Social Democrats.

The number of children, to be naturalised together with their parents, has rapidly increased in January. From 1288 applicants, about 50 have asked to naturalise also their children. The Deputy Head of the Naturalisation Board told the journalist that the situation in future could be the same as in January when the most increase of non-citizen activity was observed in Riga, Daugavpils region, Valmiera and Jelgava. Many people come together with their children because it is more convenient both for drawing up documents and saving time. Rigas Balss (04.02.99)

Belgium MFA Press Secretary informed that no visa regime between Latvia and Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg could come into force starting with April 1. He anticipated that by this time Belgium would complete the formal procedure provided by the state constitution on introducing no visa regime. Diena (Russian version)

Tevzemei un Brivibai/LNNK

has decided to start finding out those teachers who, in order to keep their job, have acquired fake certificates of the knowledge of the state language. This decision was made after they met with the Director of the National Language Centre Dz.Hirsa who told them that buying of fake certificates was a very common case. The Chairman of TB/LNNK Saeima faction A.Pozarnovs described it as a violation of the law, but the police, being busy with other cases did not pay much attention to this problem. Therefore TB/LNNK want to make the police to increase their activity in this direction. The faction will address the Minister of Interior R.Judzs who is also a TB/LNNK member. SM

SM

correspondent T.Marthuk describes her experiences during the process of naturalisation and sounds very positive about the tests and the whole procedure. SM

Yesterday the Russian Ambassador to Latvia A.Udaltsov visited the Saeima upon an invitation of the group of deputies standing for co-operation with Russian National Council. During this visit the parties discussed many issues important for both countries. Panorama Latvii

Press Review

Press Review

Prime Minister V.Kristopans and the Chairman of ULSD E.Baldzens signed yesterday a co-operation agreement to fulfil the declaration of the Cabinet of Ministers. Thus the ULSD officially has become a government supporting faction.

Prime Minister V.Kristopans and the Chairman of ULSD E.Baldzens signed yesterday a co-operation agreement to fulfil the declaration of the Cabinet of Ministers. Thus the ULSD officially has become a government supporting faction. Neatkariga, Diena, Jauna Avize, Chas, Bizness & Baltiya, Panorama Latvii

Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins is going to Moscow today to meet with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. Latvian MFA hope that this meeting could be a turning point for better in the relations of both countries. M.Riekstins also plans to meet Russian Council Vice-Speaker V.Platonov and the Chairman of Russian Council Foreign Affairs V.Lukin.

Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins is going to Moscow today to meet with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. Latvian MFA hope that this meeting could be a turning point for better in the relations of both countries. M.Riekstins also plans to meet Russian Council Vice-Speaker V.Platonov and the Chairman of Russian Council Foreign Affairs V.Lukin. Neatkariga, SM

49.6% of all unemployed persons registered in Latvia are Latvians, 36.5% - Russians, but the unemployment rate of other nations does not exceed 5%. These data are from National Employment Service.

49.6% of all unemployed persons registered in Latvia are Latvians, 36.5% - Russians, but the unemployment rate of other nations does not exceed 5%. These data are from National Employment Service. Neatkariga,

Immigration Office of Great Britain informs that 520 Latvians have asked for asylum in this country last year.

Diena (Russian version)

Russian speaking newspaper Chas writes about disastrous situation at the illegal immigrants centre in Olaine where people are forced to starve due to too small portions of food. The illegals have sent letters to the newspaper telling about their situation, and Panorama Latvii interviewed the Head of the Centre A.Eglitis. He acknowledged that the amounts for one person for one week you could eat in four days, but they were grown up people and had to plan. A.Eglitis also added that nobody had died of starvation. Chas

Press Review

Press Review

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper "Latvijas Vestnesis”.

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper"Latvijas Vestnesis. Diena, B&B

B&B interviews the MFA State Secretary Maris Riekstins who will leave for Moscow to meet with the Russian Deputy Minister of the Foreign Affairs Alexander Avdeev tomorrow. According to Mr. Riekstins, Latvia is ready to have a discussion about the present relations between both countries. Mr. Riekstins will inform the Russian side about the priorities of the Latvian government. The main task of the visit is to draw a scenario for the co-operation in 1999, Mr. Riekstins said.

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy. 

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy.Diena

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins told 

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins toldDiena that the Commission approved the partial increase of the Naturalisation Board budget for 10, 000 Lats of 48, 500 Lats requested by the Board. Fifteen Estonian MP s sent a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister who is the OSCE Chairman in Office expressing dissatisfaction of the recent activities of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel. The MPs asked the OSCE Chairman to seriously assess the activities of the High Commissioner towards Estonia by pointing out that they do not serve the objective to lessen the tension on national minority issues. In the letter it is stated that since 1991 Estonia has reformed all spheres and that now it is a democratic and a stable nation that respects and protects the human rights and the rights of national minorities. The OSCE High Commissioner, however, has stepped back from his statements that Estonia has fulfilled all recommendations and criticised the Amendments to the Estonian Election Law adopted by the Estonian parliament at the end of the last year. The more serious problem, according to the MPs, is that by doing it the High Commissioner has got involved into the pre-election campaign of some political forces which since the restoration of the independence have tried to create discord and tension in the society. Diena

Press Review

Press Review

The fraction

The fraction For Fatherland and Freedom will ask the Minister of the Interior Peteris Jurdzs to intensify the police work on the investigation of forged language certificate cases, the Chair of the Fatherland and Freedom fraction Andrejs Pozarnovs told journalists after the meeting with Director of the State Language Centre Dzintra Hirsa on Monday. At the meeting Ms. Hirsa told that the Police ignore the requests of the Latvian language centre to investigate the cases of the forged language proficiency certificates considering them insignificant. The representatives of the Fatherland and Freedom and the State Language Centre expressed concern about the slow pace of the state language law consideration in the Saeima. Both parties agreed that in the near future a new regulations of the state language commissions should be adopted. The Chair of the State Language Certification Commission Ieva Zuicena toldDiena that the common perception is that people bribe the certification commissions to obtain the Latvian language proficiency certificates. But, in fact, persons who do not have the language knowledge buy the forged certificates on the market. According to information provided by the Language Inspectorate, since 1992 the Inspectorate has fined 1314 holders of the forged language proficiency certificates. Last year the State Language Centre filed materials to the Office of the Procurator General about 83 cases of the forged certificates. Diena, Neatkariga

The first regional human rights support centres were opened in Aluksne on Friday and in Liepaja yesterday. In February the similar centres will be opened in Daugavpils, Talsi, Jelgava, Tukums, Jekabpils, and Cesis, the project manager from the NGO Centre Ruta Dimanta told journalists. The objective of the project is to strengthen the regional NGO’s and with their help to inform people about their rights. Each such centre will have a library containing materials on human rights in Latvia, Russian, and English.

The first regional human rights support centres were opened in Aluksne on Friday and in Liepaja yesterday. In February the similar centres will be opened in Daugavpils, Talsi, Jelgava, Tukums, Jekabpils, and Cesis, the project manager from the NGO Centre Ruta Dimanta told journalists. The objective of the project is to strengthen the regional NGOs and with their help to inform people about their rights. Each such centre will have a library containing materials on human rights in Latvia, Russian, and English. Diena

B&B refers to the newspaper De Volkskrant (the Netherlands) according to which the Latvian and Estonian governments did not want the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Chasinforms that today the Cabinet of Ministers might finally decide on the procedure of granting citizenship to children born after 21 August 1992. Since the beginning of this year the Naturalisation Board has received 67 preliminary applications for citizenship of children younger than 9 years old. Another issue that might be considered by the Cabinet of Ministers today is the amendments to the regulations on the procedure of the naturalisation concerning the language and history examinations.

Panorama Latvii publishes an interview with the Zigfrids Grinpauks, the Head of the Education Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education. According to Mr. Grinpauks, by the end of the last year 147 teachers did not possess the state language proficiency certificate, and 89 of them were dismissed. Mr. Grinpauks assured the readers that those teachers who have been dismissed but who will have passed the language examination, will be able to return to work. In two cases - in Ventspils and in the Cesis region, teachers have already returned to work after passing the language exam.