• 30 persons have appealed for asylum in Latvia since the beginning of 2008

30 persons have appealed for asylum in Latvia since the beginning of 2008. 15 of the asylum seekers are Georgians. The rest of the applicants are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Cuba, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Turkey, Ukraine, Tadzhikistan, and Belarus.

30 persons have appealed for asylum in Latvia since the beginning of 2008. 15 of the asylum seekers are Georgians. The rest of the applicants are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Cuba, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Turkey, Ukraine, Tadzhikistan, and Belarus. Vesti Segodnya

• State Border Guard Service Mr. Gunars Dabolins: influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia has noticeably increased since Latvia joined the Shengen zone

Chas prints an interview with the Chief of the State Border Guard Service Mr. Gunars Dabolins. According to Mr. Dabolins, influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia has noticeably increased since Latvia joined the Shengen zone. For past 9 months the border guards have detained 46 illegals from Russia, 24 from Ukraine, 20 from Moldova, 16 from Uzbekistan, 13 from Bangladesh, and number of illegals from Armenia, Georgia, China, Iraq, Pakistan, and Syria. Mr. Gunars Dabolins believes that low social benefits in Latvia prevent massive influx of illegal immigrants.

• State Border Guard Service Mr. Gunars Dabolins: influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia has noticeably increased since Latvia joined the Shengen zone

Vesti Segodnyaprints an interview with the Chief of the State Border Guard Service Mr. Gunars Dabolins. According to Mr. Dabolins, influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia has noticeably increased since Latvia joined the Shengen zone. For past 9 months the border guards have detained 46 illegals from Russia, 24 from Ukraine, 20 from Moldova, 16 from Uzbekistan, 13 from Bangladesh, and number of illegals from Armenia, Georgia, China, Iraq, Pakistan, and Syria. Mr. Gunars Dabolins believes that low social benefits in Latvia prevent massive influx of illegal immigrants.

• Latvijas Avize reports on three options for re-organisation of Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration
• FHRUL appealed to the Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis asking to explain reasons for widening the list of post and professions required for higher level of Latvian language proficiency

Latvijas Avize reports that the governing coalitions parties have decided to re-organise the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. Currently, the Secretariat in co-operation with the State Chancellery, the Ministry of Finances and the Ministry of Justice is elaborating three re-organisation options. According to the first option, the Secretariat remains, however, number of its staff workers would be reduced and issues concerning discrimination and social integration assigned to the Ministry of Welfare. The second option envisages merger of the Secretariat with the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs and establishment of a state agency which would foresee granting funds to NGOs. According the third option, the Secretariats tasks and staff workers would be split between the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.

The Saeima’s faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) has appealed to the Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis asking to explain reasons for widening the list of posts and professions required for higher level of Latvian language proficiency. As reported, according to the new regulations, the list of posts and professions expanded from 48 to 1200.

The Saeimas faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) has appealed to the Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis asking to explain reasons for widening the list of posts and professions required for higher level of Latvian language proficiency. As reported, according to the new regulations, the list of posts and professions expanded from 48 to 1200. Chas

• Chas: LVL 1,705,799 (EUR 2,427,147) is spent for protection and development of Latvian language every year

According to

According to Chas, LVL 1,705,799 (EUR 2,427,147) is spent for protection and development of Latvian language every year. The main structures working in this field are the State Language Centre, the National Agency for Latvian Language Training, the State Language Agency, the Centre of Translation and Terminology, the Department of State Language Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as the State Language Commission.