• Newspapers report about yesterdays anti-government protest demonstration and violent clashes in the centre of Riga

Newspapers report about yesterday’s anti-government protest demonstration and violent clashes in the centre of Riga.

Newspapers report about yesterdays anti-government protest demonstration and violent clashes in the centre of Riga. Vesti Segodnya and Telegraf interviewed representatives of Russian speaking NGOs and oppositional parties representing ethnic minorities about the protest action. Representatives of political parties the Concord Centre, For Human Rights in United Latvia and members of NGOs the Russian Community in Liepaja and the United Congress of Russian Communities in Latvia have supported anti-government protests and took part in the manifestation, arguing that economic problems concern all Latvian residents. In the meantime, some other Russian NGOs – the Russian Society in Latvia, the Union of Russian Entrepreneurs, the Union of Citizens and non-Citizens – did not support the manifestation, arguing that organisers of the protests ignore the rights of Russian speaking residents of Latvia.

• Minister of Welfare Iveta Purne presents to the Cabinet of Ministers the draft law on prohibition of discrimination of natural persons engaged in commercial activities

Vesti Segodnya reports that today, the Minister of Welfare Iveta Purne will present to the Cabinet of Ministers the draft law on prohibition of discrimination of natural persons engaged in commercial activities. According to the annotation to the draft law, its aim is to rule out differential treatment of persons on grounds of gender, race or ethnicity.

• Supreme Court of Latvia toughened punishment to a neo-Nazi Andris Jordans for incitement to ethnic hatred
• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers further will speak only in Latvian language on public events and to Russian speaking journalists
• Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticizes Latvia for severe state language policy

The Supreme Court of Latvia has sentenced a neo-Nazi Andris Jordans to two years and one month of imprisonment for incitement to ethnic hatred thus increasing by seven months the sentence issued by the first instance court. As reported, criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were opened by the Prosecutor’s Office in February 2007 after Andris Jordans, at a public discussion, has stated that Jews and Roma people are ‘non-humans’ and it would be preferable to exterminate them. In March 2008, Andris Jordans was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment.

The Supreme Court of Latvia has sentenced a neo-Nazi Andris Jordans to two years and one month of imprisonment for incitement to ethnic hatred thus increasing by seven months the sentence issued by the first instance court. As reported, criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were opened by the Prosecutors Office in February 2007 after Andris Jordans, at a public discussion, has stated that Jews and Roma people are ‘non-humans and it would be preferable to exterminate them. In March 2008, Andris Jordans was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment. Chas, Latvijas Avize

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers has stated that in future he will speak only in Latvian language at public events and to Russian speaking journalists. In an interview with

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers has stated that in future he will speak only in Latvian language at public events and to Russian speaking journalists. In an interview with Telegraf political scientist Ivars Ijabs believes that such Presidents decision is a result of pressure from ethnic Latvian political community. In 2008, the refusal to speak in Russian was declared by several MPs and ministers. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticizes Latvia for toughening of state language policy. Recently, the President of Latvia has approved the amendments to the Administrative Violation Code stipulating increase of fines for insufficient usage of Latvian language and usage of foreign languages (mainly Russian) at work. According to a representative of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such policy is a violation of rights of ethnic minorities in Latvia and is aimed at exclusion of Russian language from all spheres of public and business life of the country.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticizes Latvia for toughening of state language policy. Recently, the President of Latvia has approved the amendments to the Administrative Violation Code stipulating increase of fines for insufficient usage of Latvian language and usage of foreign languages (mainly Russian) at work. According to a representative of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such policy is a violation of rights of ethnic minorities in Latvia and is aimed at exclusion of Russian language from all spheres of public and business life of the country. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

• Presidents New Year Address to the Latvian people
• Crisis in Latvian Interior system

On December 31, 2008, The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers gave a New Year Speech on public television.

On December 31, 2008, The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers gave a New Year Speech on public television. Telegraf claims that Valdis Zatlers used term latviešu tauta (ethnic Latvian people) which excludes 40% inhabitants of Latvia representing other ethnic groups. In his first New Year Address a year ago, the President used term Latvijas tauta (the people of Latvia), Experts, interviewed by Telegraf agreed that the President should not divide the people. Experts claim that the President should have addressed the nation differently, taking into consideration its ethnic composition, while his political activities might have distracted his attention from this nuance. Telegraf

Due to economic austerity measures in Latvia, Latvian Border Guard terminates rental agreement for refugee housing, while the State police will probably not participate in maintaining public order at certain mass events.

Due to economic austerity measures in Latvia, Latvian Border Guard terminates rental agreement for refugee housing, while the State police will probably not participate in maintaining public order at certain mass events. Neatkariga

• Vesti Segodnya criticizes recent statements of Jurgis Liepnieks

Vesti Segodnya criticizes former Head of the Prime Ministers Bureau and the leading PR person of the Peoples Party Jurgis Liepnieks on his recent statements concerning possible cooperation of the Peoples Party with the Concord Centre. Jurgis Liepnieks calls the Peoples Party to remember about its national conservative values, and reminds that in the past, the Peoples Party clearly declared that it would never form a government coalition with the Concord Centre