• MEP from Latvia Aleksandrs Mirskis: one of the main tasks is to accomplish that Latvian non-citizens are granted voting rights in municipal elections

The MEP from Latvia Aleksandrs Mirskis (Concord Centre) in an interview with

The MEP from Latvia Aleksandrs Mirskis (Concord Centre) in an interview with Telegraf states that one of his main tasks in the European Parliament is to accomplish that Latvian non-citizens are granted voting rights in municipal elections. Mr. Mirskis believes that although this issue is not under authority of the EP, frequent discussions on European level will put pressure on Latvian government.

• 70 non-EU citizens were detained for illegal cross of Latvian border in the first half of 2009

According to the State Border Guard Service, 70 non-EU citizens were detained for illegal cross of Latvian border in the first half of 2009 which is for 61% more than in the first half of 2008. The majority of detained persons were from Congo, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Syria, Moldova and Belarus.

According to the State Border Guard Service, 70 non-EU citizens were detained for illegal cross of Latvian border in the first half of 2009 which is for 61% more than in the first half of 2008. The majority of detained persons were from Congo, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Syria, Moldova and Belarus. Chas

• Recently assigned for the post of the U.S.A. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber is planning to help Latvian government with the issues on integration of ethnic minorities

Recently assigned for the post of the U.S.A. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber is planning to help Latvian government with the issues on integration of ethnic minorities. Mrs. Garber positively evaluates election of ethnic Russian Mayor Nils Usakovs in Riga. Mrs. Garber also is planning to promote liquidation of consequences of the Holocaust in Latvia including issues on restitution of Jewish properties.

Recently assigned for the post of the U.S.A. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber is planning to help Latvian government with the issues on integration of ethnic minorities. Mrs. Garber positively evaluates election of ethnic Russian Mayor Nils Usakovs in Riga. Mrs. Garber also is planning to promote liquidation of consequences of the Holocaust in Latvia including issues on restitution of Jewish properties. Telegraf

• Two members of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee expelled from Estonia
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a round table discussion Practice and Perspectives of Non-Governmental Education in Russian Language
• Latvijas Avize criticizes a book Present European Ethnocracy: Violation of Rights of Ethnic Minorities in Latvia and Estonia

Chas reports that two members of the Latvian Anti-fascist Committee were expelled from Estonia yesterday for attempt to participate in protest meeting against traditional gathering of Estonian Waffen SS legionnaires.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a round table discussion Practice and Perspectives of Non-Governmental Education in Russian Language held in Riga by the International Teachers Association in Support of Russian Language and Education. The participants of the round table – representatives of private Russian language schools from Latvia and abroad - shared their experiences.

Latvijas Avize criticizes a book Present European Ethnocracy: Violation of Rights of Ethnic Minorities in Latvia and Estonia. Latvian MP Vladimirs Buzajevs is among the editors the book. According to the newspaper, the book is tendentious and disrespectful towards Latvia.

• Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Jerusalem Center Efraim Zuroff does not support proclamation of one date as commemoration day of victims of Nazism and Communism
• MP Boriss Cilevics criticizes the resolution which equals Nazism and Stalinism adopted by the OSCE

Director of the

Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Jerusalem Center Efraim Zuroff does not support proclamation of one date as commemoration day of victims of Nazism and Communism. Mr. Zuroff believes that such action is an attempt to change meaning of unique tragedy of the Holocaust. Mr. Zuroff also believes that Nazism and Communism cannot be equated. As reported, the Saeima has proclaimed 23 August as commemoration day of victims of Nazism and Stalinism in Latvia. Latvijas Avize

Chas prints an interview with the representative of Latvia in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) about resolution which equates Nazism and Stalinism recently adopted by the Organisation for Security in Co-operation in Europe. Mr. Cilevics criticizes the resolution arguing that Stalins regime in the USSR and Hitlers regime in Germany cannot be equated from the viewpoint of international law. According to Mr. Cilevics the resolution will not have any legal consequences but it might have destructive political role.