• The Concord Centre asks the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis to clarify the governments position regarding naturalisation
• Chas features an interview with the Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane

MPs of the Saeima’s faction “The Concord Centre” have asked the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis to clarify the government’s position regarding naturalisation and situation concerning non-citizens in Latvia. As reported, yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins has stated that the tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed due to lower speed of naturalisation in 2006.

MPs of the Saeimas faction The Concord Centre have asked the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis to clarify the governments position regarding naturalisation and situation concerning non-citizens in Latvia. As reported, yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins has stated that the tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed due to lower speed of naturalisation in 2006. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Head of the Naturalisation Board (NB) Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with

Head of the Naturalisation Board (NB) Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with Chas has stated that naturalisation is not endangered and the NB will continue its work. However, Mrs. Aldermane noted that in future some regional branches of the NB might be closed due to the small number of potential applicants for Latvian citizenship.

• Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime on granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas
• Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins: speed of naturalisation has slowed down in 2006
• Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov: EU and NATO must help to solve the problems of non-citizens in Latvia

Yesterday, the Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime, which stipulate granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas. The amendments might become effective already in the middle of January 2007. The regulations will apply to all the EU countries but UK and Ireland, as well as to Norway and Iceland.

Yesterday, the Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime, which stipulate granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas. The amendments might become effective already in the middle of January 2007. The regulations will apply to all the EU countries but UK and Ireland, as well as to Norway and Iceland. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has stated that the speed of naturalisation has decreased in 2006. The Minister believed that the attitude of new citizens towards Latvian citizenship is more important than the number of citizens. Gaidis Berzins also stated that tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed and some its branches should be closed down.

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has stated that the speed of naturalisation has decreased in 2006. The Minister believed that the attitude of new citizens towards Latvian citizenship is more important than the number of citizens. Gaidis Berzins also stated that tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed and some its branches should be closed down. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has criticized Latvia for the large number of non-citizens and slow speed of naturalisation process in the country. Sergey Lavrov has stated that the EU and NATO must help to solve the situation of mass non-citizenship and problems of non-citizens in Latvia.

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has criticized Latvia for the large number of non-citizens and slow speed of naturalisation process in the country. Sergey Lavrov has stated that the EU and NATO must help to solve the situation of mass non-citizenship and problems of non-citizens in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

• Latvia will not introduce any restrictions on the free movement of workers from Bulgaria and Rumania
• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga and other high officials took part in Hanukah

Yesterday, the Latvian government decided not to introduce any restrictions on the free movement of workers from of to-be-EU MS Bulgaria and Rumania after both countries join the European Union 1 January 2007.

Yesterday, the Latvian government decided not to introduce any restrictions on the free movement of workers from of to-be-EU MS Bulgaria and Rumania after both countries join the European Union 1 January 2007. Chas, Telegraf, Diena, NRA, Latvijas Vestnesis

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskrars Kastens and other high rang Latvian officials, as well as a number of ambassadors participated in celebration of the Hanukah in the Riga Synagogue.

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskrars Kastens and other high rang Latvian officials, as well as a number of ambassadors participated in celebration of the Hanukah in the Riga Synagogue. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Prime Minister: Latvia will not attract low-qualified labour force
• Committee of Historians presented an edition The Holocaust in Latvia
• Russian President signed a law stipulating support for Russian repatriates

Diena reports that despite ongoing calls of Latvian employers and recent statements of the Minister of Transport Ainars Slesers that Latvia desperately needs guest workers, the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis announced that he will not discuss any issues regarding attraction of foreign low-qualified labour force to Latvia. The Minister of Economic supports the Prime Ministers stance and does not see any room for attracting low-qualified labour force to Latvia. The Minister of Transport Ainars Slesers has noted that at the moment Latvia lacks about 10,000 workers in construction business.

Yesterday, the Committee of Historians established under auspices of the Latvian President presented the 18

Yesterday, the Committee of Historians established under auspices of the Latvian President presented the 18th edition The Holocaust in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Russian newspapers report that yesterday the Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law stipulating Russian government’s support for Russians who repatriate back to Russia.

Russian newspapers report that yesterday the Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law stipulating Russian governments support for Russians who repatriate back to Russia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Political parties Peoples Harmony Party, New Centre and Daugavpils City Party decided to merge in one monolith party The Concord Centre
• Head of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee Peteris Tabuns: government has to review the order of granting Latvian citizenship for special merits
• Chas reports on an international conference Formation of the Russian Cultural-Linguistic Identity and Bilingual Education in Latvia

On Saturday, the political party “People’s Harmony Party” together with two other political parties “New Centre” and Daugavpils City Party has decided to form one party “The Concord Centre”. Currently the three above mentioned parties and the Latvian Socialist Party form a union “The Concord Centre”. The Latvian Socialistic has not voiced any intentions to join the to-be-party. Leader of the People’s Harmony Party Janis Urbanovics has stated that formation of one party will improve coordination of parties work. The head the Saeima’s faction “The Concord Centre”, MP Nils Usakovs has stated that unification in one party will help to build cooperation with other Latvian and Russian politicians and left and right parties.

On Saturday, the political party Peoples Harmony Party together with two other political parties New Centre and Daugavpils City Party has decided to form one party The Concord Centre. Currently the three above mentioned parties and the Latvian Socialist Party form a union The Concord Centre. The Latvian Socialistic has not voiced any intentions to join the to-be-party. Leader of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Urbanovics has stated that formation of one party will improve coordination of parties work. The head the Saeimas faction The Concord Centre, MP Nils Usakovs has stated that unification in one party will help to build cooperation with other Latvian and Russian politicians and left and right parties. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA

On Saturday, the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM held its party congress. The member of the party, Head of the Saeima’s Citizenship Law Implementation Committee Peteris Tabuns stated that the government should review the procedures on the grant of Latvian citizenship for special merits because “there have been cases when citizenship was granted not for actual merits but hoping that such merits will be shown.”

On Saturday, the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM held its party congress. The member of the party, Head of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee Peteris Tabuns stated that the government should review the procedures on the grant of Latvian citizenship for special merits because there have been cases when citizenship was granted not for actual merits but hoping that such merits will be shown. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Chas reports on an international conference Formation of the Russian Cultural-Linguistic Identity and Bilingual Education in Latvia held by the Latvian Association of Russian Language and Literature Teachers and the Latvian Association for Support of Russian Language Schools (LAPRYAL and LASHOR in their Russian acronyms respectively) from 14 to 16 December in Riga. The representatives of various NGOs, the Ministry of Education and Science and the National Agency for Latvian Language Training, as well as school directors, teachers and parents of school students took part in the conference. The newspaper notes that 77, 471 or 27. 28% of students are studying in Russian language schools.