• Academician Mihails Hazans: 30,000 residents will emigrate from Latvia during 2009

According to an academician Mihails Hazans who recently conducted a study “EU Labour Markets after Post-Enlargement Migration”, 4,400 of Latvian residents emigrated from Latvia to the Great Britain during the first quarter of 2009 and 2,500 of Latvian residents immigrated to Ireland during eight months of 2009. Mr. Hazans also predicts that in total, around 30,000 people might emigrate from Latvia during 2009 due to economic crisis.

According to an academician Mihails Hazans who recently conducted a study EU Labour Markets after Post-Enlargement Migration, 4,400 of Latvian residents emigrated from Latvia to the Great Britain during the first quarter of 2009 and 2,500 of Latvian residents immigrated to Ireland during eight months of 2009. Mr. Hazans also predicts that in total, around 30,000 people might emigrate from Latvia during 2009 due to economic crisis. Telegraf

• Saeima in the third reading stroke out Orthodox Christian and Old-Believers Christmas from the list of dates officially celebrated in Latvia
• Saeima conceptually supported the draft amendments which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut
• Latvijas Avize prints an article on the new draft law on electronic media which cancels state language proportion for private TV channels

Yesterday, the Saeima in the third and the final reading supported a proposal of the party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM to strike out Orthodox Christian and Old-Believers Christmas (6 and 7 January) from the list of dates officially celebrated in Latvia. As reported, the Saeima supported inclusion of Orthodox Christmas in such list in previous two readings. Head of the faction Concord Centre Janis Urbanovics considers that exclusion of Orthodox and Old Believers Christmas is discrimination of representatives of these traditional and numerous confessions in Latvia because Catholic and Lutheran Christmas is officially celebrated. Mr. Urbanovics considers that the law on state holidays should either include celebrations of all traditional confessions or religious celebrations should not be included at all.

Yesterday, the Saeima in the third and the final reading supported a proposal of the party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM to strike out Orthodox Christian and Old-Believers Christmas (6 and 7 January) from the list of dates officially celebrated in Latvia. As reported, the Saeima supported inclusion of Orthodox Christmas in such list in previous two readings. Head of the faction Concord Centre Janis Urbanovics considers that exclusion of Orthodox and Old Believers Christmas is discrimination of representatives of these traditional and numerous confessions in Latvia because Catholic and Lutheran Christmas is officially celebrated. Mr. Urbanovics considers that the law on state holidays should either include celebrations of all traditional confessions or religious celebrations should not be included at all. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, NRA

Yesterday, the Saeima discussed and supported in the first reading the draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The draft amendments allow slaughter animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism when animals are slaughtered without being knocked out senseless.

Yesterday, the Saeima discussed and supported in the first reading the draft amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The draft amendments allow slaughter animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism when animals are slaughtered without being knocked out senseless. Vesti Segodnya, Diena

Latvijas Avize prints an article on the new draft law on electronic media which cancels state language proportion for private TV channels and stipulates that 30% of audio-visual content must be made in Latvia. The effective law stipulates that 40% of media content must be in Latvian language. Executive director of the Latvian Broadcasting Association Gunta Lidaka considers that usage of Latvian language by mass media should be regulated by the market, while, the state language and Latvian identity should be protected by consequent state policy. In the meantime, an MP Inna Druviete believes that Latvian language should dominate not only in public media but also in commercial media.

• Several Latvian student corporations criticize placing a monument to Romantic era author Alexander Pushkin in one of the Rigas central parks

Several Latvian student corporations and their supporters sent an open letter to the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers and the Riga City Council criticizing placing a monument to a famous Russian writer and poet of Romantic era Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837) in one of the Rigas central parks named in the honour of famous Latvian publicist, linguist and teacher Atis Kronvalds (1837 - 1875). The authors of the letter claim that while Kronvalds represents Latvian and European values, Pushkin represents non-European values and alien culture, and believe that placing the monument was highly unethical, condemnable and impermissible. Vesti Segodnya

• Activists of the radical nationalistic organisation Latvian National Front Liene Apina and Liga Muzikante claim LVL 50,000 (EUR 71,144) as compensation for moral damages

Activists of the radical nationalistic organisation Latvian National Front Liene Apina and Liga Muzikante claim LVL 50,000 (EUR 71,144) as compensation for moral damages from a person who made insulting statements towards them. As reported, the person published insulting statements towards activists of the radical nationalistic organisation Latvian National Front commenting their pictures placed in the Internet on which they were seen laying flowers with crape beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders during celebrations of 9 May (Victory Day.)

Activists of the radical nationalistic organisation Latvian National Front Liene Apina and Liga Muzikante claim LVL 50,000 (EUR 71,144) as compensation for moral damages from a person who made insulting statements towards them. As reported, the person published insulting statements towards activists of the radical nationalistic organisation Latvian National Front commenting their pictures placed in the Internet on which they were seen laying flowers with crape beneath the Monument for Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders during celebrations of 9 May (Victory Day.) Telegraf

• Ogre City Council will not accept applications written in languages other than Latvian

The Ogre City Council announced that the Council and municipal institutions will not accept applications written in languages other than Latvian. Such decision was taken upon initiative of the city’s Vice-Mayor, member of nationalistic party “All for Latvia!” The Vice-Mayor also opposes to performance of musicians from Russia on Ogre’s concert stage and plans to stop such concerts in the future. According to the leader of “All for Latvia!” Raivis Dzintars, Ogre is the first city where members of “All for Latvia!” have a chance to show themselves as an authority.

The Ogre City Council announced that the Council and municipal institutions will not accept applications written in languages other than Latvian. Such decision was taken upon initiative of the citys Vice-Mayor, member of nationalistic party All for Latvia! The Vice-Mayor also opposes to performance of musicians from Russia on Ogres concert stage and plans to stop such concerts in the future. According to the leader of All for Latvia! Raivis Dzintars, Ogre is the first city where members of All for Latvia! have a chance to show themselves as an authority. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize