• Society Integration Foundation presented the Society Unity Award

The Society Integration Foundation has presented the Society Unity Award to the head of the Herman Braun Foundation Inna Davidova for long-term and systematic work in promoting society integration. The Liepaja Society of the Blind received the incentive Award for contribution to the consolidation of the society. The Award for contribution to the promotion of tolerance was presented to a filmmaker Kaspars Goba. The Award for creative approach in strengthening of the society unity was presented to the head of theatre of the women’s Ilguciems prison Kristine Kletniece-Sika. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

• The Concord Centre remains the most popular party in Latvia

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by agency TNS and TV channel LNT, 31% of respondents would support the Concord Centre if the Saeima’s elections are held today. The Unity would receive support of 11% of respondents, the nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM – 10%, the Union of Greens and Farmers – 8%. Other parties would receive less than 5% of votes and would not enter the Parliament. Telegraf

• Recently established Union of Non-citizens in Estonia will work together with Latvian Congress of Non-citizens

Vesti Segodnya reports about establishment of the Union of Non-citizens in Estonia which follows the practice of the Latvian Congress of Non-citizens. Head of the Estonian Union of Non-citizens Oleg Besedin believes that Latvian Congress of Non-citizens and Estonian Union of Non-citizens should work together in order to make their activities more effective as both countries have similar problem. According to Mr Besedin, there are about 300,000 non-citizens in Latvia and about 90,000 non-citizens in Estonia.

• Congress of Non-citizens held an action near the building of the European Parliament
• Newspapers reports about resignation of the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis

Vesti Segodnya reports about an action held by the Congress of Non-citizens near the building of the European Parliament. The aim of the action was to gain a support for the petition on granting non-citizens voting rights.

Newspapers reports about resignation of the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis. The Prime Minister resigned after the tragedy in Riga when the roof of the shopping mall Maxima collapsed taking lives of 54 people. Following Mr Dombrovskis’ resignation, the President should appoint the new Prime Minister who will form the new government. Some representatives of the present governing coalition already stated that the Union of Greens and Farmers might become one of the members of the coalition but the inclusion of the Concord Centre is unacceptable as the main reason mentioning the fact that one of its leaders, Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs supported the referendum on granting Russian the status of a state language in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize

• The State Service on Education Quality will not punish two Riga Russian language schools which fell victims to the journalists’ provocation
• Representatives of the Association of Commercial Radio Stations proposes ban radio advertisements in languages other than Latvian
• Vesti Segodnya publishes an article about a radical organisation the Centre of Gustavs Celmins

The State Service on Education Quality (SSEQ) will not punish two Riga Russian language schools which fell victims to the provocation ofa TV broadcast “Illegal Hold”. At the same time, the SSEQ called the Riga City Council to ensure that the directors of these schools follow all the legal requirements and to improve patriotic education. As reported, journalists, on the threshold of the Independence Day (18 November), called three Russian language schools in Riga pretending to be representatives of the Ministry of Defence and asked the directors of the schools to put posters devoted to the Independence Day. Later, the same journalists repeatedly called the schools pretending to be representatives of an organisation “9 May” and asked to remove the posters as those contain information about Soviet occupation. Following such provocation, two schools agreed to remove the posters. Thus, the journalists alleged that despite the fact that Russian language schools conduct events devoted to the Independence of Latvia, managers of the schools are disloyal towards Latvian state. Latvijas Avize

Representatives of the Association of Commercial Radio Stations asked the Saeima’s Sub-committee on Patriotic Education to set that radio advertisement should be in Latvian language only. Authors of the proposal argued that such regulation would promote integration. Head of the sub-committee Raivis Dzintars and its member Inara Murniece (both represent the nationalists’ union) agreed with such proposal. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya publishes an article about a radical organisation the Centre of Gustavs Celmins. Presently its ex-leader Igors Siskins is on a trial for possession of explosives. At the same time, the Security Police forwarded an application to the court asking to suspend the Centre’s activities arguing that the Centre does not follow the requirements of the Law on Public Organisations and Associations. According to the newspaper, on the profile of the Centre (which emblem is swastika) on one of the social networks it is written that it is not normal that ex USSR militarists, KGB agents and their families still live in Latvia and that it is necessary to fight the consequences of occupation in order to restore the historical justice.