• Vesti Segodnya reports that non-citizens might be granted rights to travel within the EU without visas as of March 2007
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with leaders of the extreme right-wing party All for Latvia! on partys activities and results of Saeima elections

Vesti Segodnya reports that the EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini has stated that the non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia might be able to travel within the European Union without visas as of March 2007.

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with leaders of the radical right-wing party All for Latvia! Raivis Dzintars and Imants Paradnieks on partys activities and their views on results of the Saeima elections. Raivis Dzintars stated that although All for Latvia! did not succeed to get into the parliament, the support the party received (1.48 % or 13,469 votes) shows that the party has to continue its work and focus on promoting of national leaders among young people who would fight for the preservation of Latvian values.

• Nationalistic graffiti and swastika painted on the Monument to Soviet Liberators of Riga from German and Fascist Invaders in Riga on Saturday
• Weekly Nedela reports on ethnic composition of the new Saeima
• Producer of a private TV channel: one of the aims of the channel is prevention of ethnic split in the society

Nationalistic graffiti and swastika were painted on the Monument to Soviet Liberators of Riga from German and Fascist Invaders in Riga on Saturday. The State Police have opened a criminal investigation.  

Nationalistic graffiti and swastika were painted on the Monument to Soviet Liberators of Riga from German and Fascist Invaders in Riga on Saturday. The State Police have opened a criminal investigation. Telegraf, Vesti, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA, Rigas Balss

According to the official results of the Saeima elections held on 7 October, 78 MPs of the new Saeima indicated that there are Latvians, 15 – Russians, 1 – Jew, 1 German, and 1 Karelian. 4 MPs did not specify their ethnicity.

According to the official results of the Saeima elections held on 7 October, 78 MPs of the new Saeima indicated that there are Latvians, 15 – Russians, 1 – Jew, 1 German, and 1 Karelian. 4 MPs did not specify their ethnicity. Nedela

Producer of the private TV channel TV5 Gunta Lidaka in an interview with a weekly

Producer of the private TV channel TV5 Gunta Lidaka in an interview with a weekly Nedela stated that one of the aims of the channel is to prevent splitting of society along ethnic lines. Gunta Lidaka argued that majority of the Latvian media channels do not provide local news to Russian-speaking audience therefore the TV channel TV 5 is producing news and other programmes for Latvias Russian-speakers.

• Members of the Union of Greens and Farmers will not support a government which includes The Concord Centre
• Vesti Segodnya continues reporting on II World Congress of Russian Compatriots held last week in Sankt-Petersburg

Members of the political party “Union of Greens and Farmers”, that will most likely will a member of a new governing coalition, Visvaldis Lacis and Leopolds Ozolins stated that they will not support the government if so-called “pro-Russian” party “The Concord Centre” will be included in the government because of their views on ethnic issues.

Members of the political party Union of Greens and Farmers, that will most likely will a member of a new governing coalition, Visvaldis Lacis and Leopolds Ozolins stated that they will not support the government if so-called pro-Russian party The Concord Centre will be included in the government because of their views on ethnic issues. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports on II World Congress of Russian Compatriots held last week in Sankt-Petersburg, Russia, in which also several representatives of Latvia have took part.

• All for Latvia! asks for more severe punishment for anti-governmental actions and statements
• Vesti Segodnya prints an article on a conflict between the NGO Latvias Association of National Cultural Organisations and ethnic minority NGOs

Yesterday, the extreme right-wing political party “All for Latvia!” held a public action asking for more severe punishment for anti-governmental actions and statements. Members of the party were dressed in soviet military uniforms and held posters calling to punish the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools Aleksandrs Gilmans (who was charged for anti-governmental statements, however, recently the court ruled him innocent) by deporting him to Russia.

Yesterday, the extreme right-wing political party All for Latvia! held a public action asking for more severe punishment for anti-governmental actions and statements. Members of the party were dressed in soviet military uniforms and held posters calling to punish the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools Aleksandrs Gilmans (who was charged for anti-governmental statements, however, recently the court ruled him innocent) by deporting him to Russia. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya prints an article on a conflict between the NGO Latvias Association of National Cultural Organisations (LANCO) and others ethnic minorities NGO. Official of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Irina Vinnika stated that several organisations do not want to participate in activities under auspices of the LANCO as they have serious disagreements with the head of the LANCO Raffi Haradzinans. Irina Vinnika also argued that privileges granted by the state to the LANCO have to be reconsidered because the LANCO has committed a number of administrative violations.

• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga on The Concord Centres possible inclusion in the new government
• Riga Regional Court postpones the revision of the case on two dark skinned Sri Lankian citizens assault

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has held the final consultative meeting on the formation of a new government with the representatives of several parties, including so-called “pro-Russian” party “The Concord Centre” After the meeting, the President has stated that “The Concord Centre” has expressed its desire to work in the governing coalition. However, Vaira Vike-Freiberga has noted that the right-wing parties allegedly forming the coalition are not willing to co-operate with “The Concord Centre” because of its different stance on ethnic issues and history’s interpretation. In an interview with

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has held the final consultative meeting on the formation of a new government with the representatives of several parties, including so-called pro-Russian party The Concord Centre After the meeting, the President has stated that The Concord Centre has expressed its desire to work in the governing coalition. However, Vaira Vike-Freiberga has noted that the right-wing parties allegedly forming the coalition are not willing to co-operate with The Concord Centre because of its different stance on ethnic issues and historys interpretation. In an interview with Telegraf, the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris has stated that The Concord Centres inclusion in the governing coalition would be a rational decision. According to Ilze Brands Kehris, the politicians should show that co-operation between the right-wing and the left-wing party is possible. As reported, The Concord Centre has got 17 % of votes in the Saeimas elections held on 7 October. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has postponed the revision of the case on physical assault on two dark skinned citizens of Sri Lanka. The absence of the injured party and some witnesses has been the reason of the court proceedings’ postponement. As reported, a young girl allegedly associated with a skin-head grouping psychically attacked two citizens of Sri Lanka in Riga on 12 January. The Court is planning to review the case on 21 December.

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has postponed the revision of the case on physical assault on two dark skinned citizens of Sri Lanka. The absence of the injured party and some witnesses has been the reason of the court proceedings postponement. As reported, a young girl allegedly associated with a skin-head grouping psychically attacked two citizens of Sri Lanka in Riga on 12 January. The Court is planning to review the case on 21 December. Latvijas Avize