• Liepaja Russian Community has opened the Russian House
• Vesti Segodnya reports on meeting held by the Council on Cooperation of Russian NGOs

Chas and Vesti Segodnya report that representatives of Russian NGOs, politicians, entrepreneurs, and religious leaders have took part in the opening of the Russian House by the Liepaja Russian Community on Friday 11 December. Construction of the Russian House was funded by donations of Liepaja private entrepreneurs. The Russian House will be opened to various organisations and Russian speaking residents of Liepaja to hold various events and.

Vesti Segodnya reports that on weekend, the Council on Cooperation of Russian NGOs has held a meeting to discuss the work done and plan future activities.

• Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks: Latvia will not create any obstacles in free movement of people from Rumania and Bulgaria
• Most popular parties in November: Peoples Party, Union of Greens and Farmers and The Concord Centre

On 8 December, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks at the conference on migration issues stated that Latvia has always been against any restrictions regarding labour force migration within the EU. The Minister said that Latvia will not introduce any barriers regarding free movement of people from Rumania and Bulgaria after both countries join the EU on 1 January 2007.  Artis Pabriks voiced his support for the establishment of inter-institutional working group, which would elaborate a framework document concerning employment policies in the context of migration.

On 8 December, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks at the conference on migration issues stated that Latvia has always been against any restrictions regarding labour force migration within the EU. The Minister said that Latvia will not introduce any barriers regarding free movement of people from Rumania and Bulgaria after both countries join the EU on 1 January 2007. Artis Pabriks voiced his support for the establishment of inter-institutional working group, which would elaborate a framework document concerning employment policies in the context of migration. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by the company "Latvijas fakti" in November, the People’s Party is the most popular political party – 16.6 % citizens of Latvia would vote for it if the Saeima elections were held in November. The Union of Greens and Farmers is supported by 13.5% of citizens; the Concord Centre by 10.4%; the New Era by 9.6%; and the Latvia’s First Party/ Latvia’s Way by 6%. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of the respondents.

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by the company "Latvijas fakti" in November, the Peoples Party is the most popular political party – 16.6 % citizens of Latvia would vote for it if the Saeima elections were held in November. The Union of Greens and Farmers is supported by 13.5% of citizens; the Concord Centre by 10.4%; the New Era by 9.6%; and the Latvias First Party/ Latvias Way by 6%. Other parties are supported by less than 5% of the respondents. Diena

• Border Guard detained 19 citizens of Bulgaria illegally employed in Riga
• MP Visvaldis Lacis has proposed to grant special funding for ethnic Latvian families
• Weekly Republika.lv prints several articles about Jews in Latvia

Yesterday, the Border Guard has detained 19 citizens of Bulgaria illegally employed in Riga. All unofficially unemployed were issued a protocol for violating administrative provisions.

Yesterday, the Border Guard has detained 19 citizens of Bulgaria illegally employed in Riga. All unofficially unemployed were issued a protocol for violating administrative provisions. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, MP Visvaldis Lacis (Union of Greens and Farmers) at the Saeima’s session has stated that Latvians as a nation are endangered due to the high emigration rate of Latvians from Latvia. Therefore, provisions should be adopted which would stipulate granting special funding for ethnic Latvian families.

Yesterday, MP Visvaldis Lacis (Union of Greens and Farmers) at the Saeimas session has stated that Latvians as a nation are endangered due to the high emigration rate of Latvians from Latvia. Therefore, provisions should be adopted which would stipulate granting special funding for ethnic Latvian families. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

The weekly

The weekly Republika.lv prints several articles about Jews in Latvia. According to the newspaper, there are 10, 448 Jews in Latvia at present. As reported, in November, the government has declined a draft project on granting LVL 32,000,000 (EUR 45,531,897) and some real estate buildings to the Jewish Community of Latvia as a compensation for lost properties during the Holocaust. Lawyer Andris Grutups in an interview with the weekly has stated that there are no legal grounds to grant the compensation. Andris Grutups also argued that grant of the compensation would lead to ethnic hatred and Anti-Semitism.

• FF/LNIM proposes to deprive municipal deputys mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills
• Vesti Segodnya reportson the main priorities of the IUMSILS for 2007
• Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane: cancelling of visa regime for non-citizens to travel within the EU might decrease number of applicants for Latvian citizenship
• Russian Minister of Defence criticizes Latvia and Estonia for attempts to rehabilitate fascism and for situation with non-citizens
• Diena features an interview with the Head of the national delegation to the Task Force for International Cooperation on the Holocaust, Remembrance and Research Gints Jegermanis

The right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) proposes to deprive municipal deputy’s mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills. Presently, the effective legal norms stipulate that the working language in municipalities is Latvian, however, other legal norms do not stipulate Latvian language proficiency skills as obligatory requirement for municipal deputies.

The right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) proposes to deprive municipal deputys mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills. Presently, the effective legal norms stipulate that the working language in municipalities is Latvian, however, other legal norms do not stipulate Latvian language proficiency skills as obligatory requirement for municipal deputies. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports that the main priorities of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) for 2007 are further development of civil society, support for compatriots abroad, and promotion of tolerance.

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with Telegraf has stated that if the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime which would stipulate granting non-citizens rights to travel within the EU without visas are adopted, the number of applicants for Latvian citizenship might decrease. However, the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehre believes that the main reasons which hamper naturalisation are negative attitudes of society towards promotion of naturalisation and proposals of some political forces to introduce stricter measures for naturalisation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks in an interview with the daily Diena stated that the adoption of the draft amendments might increase the number of migrants from Latvia to other the EU countries. Telegraf, Diena.

Diena reports that the Russian Minister of Defence Sergey Ivanov at the meeting with the Minister of Defence of Greece has stated that Latvia and Estonia have to draw more attention on attempts to rehabilitate fascism in Latvia and Estonia. Sergey Ivanov also notes that the fact that there are hundreds of thousands non-citizens in Latvia and Estonia does not comply with the democratic standards of NATO and the EU.

Diena features an interview with the Head of the national delegation to the Task Force for International Cooperation on the Holocaust, Remembrance and Research Gints Jegermanis. Mr. Jegermanis stated that it is very important to talk about the Holocaust and to remember the past. Gints Jegermanis believed that understanding of the past events will help the governing elite to have an adequate reaction on todays manifestations of intolerance.

• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Head of the Saeima Citizenship Law Implementation Committee, MP Peteris Tabuns (FF/LNIM)
• Riga Regional Court began reviewing a case on alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board
• NRA reports that first 10 Roma from Ventspils (town in the Northern part of Latvia) have successfully completed computer training
• Russian Community of Liepaja is opening the Russian House
• Yesterday 635 persons were granted citizenship through naturalisation

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Head of the Saeima Citizenship Law Implementation Committee, MP Peteris Tabuns (FF/LNIM). Peteris Tabuns criticises the work of the Naturalisation Board and argues that citizenship granting process has to be more strict. The MP also believes that the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration must be closed. Peteris Tabuns stated if all non-citizens are granted Latvian citizenship, Latvia will not exist as a state anymore.

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has reviewed a case on alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board. As reported, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has detained three persons - the head of the Valmiera branch of the Naturalisation Board, the head of the headquarters of Riga Municipality Police and an entrepreneur who have allegedly been mediators in the bribery.  All three have pleaded guilty. The court proceeding might last a week.

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has reviewed a case on alleged bribery in the Naturalisation Board. As reported, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has detained three persons - the head of the Valmiera branch of the Naturalisation Board, the head of the headquarters of Riga Municipality Police and an entrepreneur who have allegedly been mediators in the bribery. All three have pleaded guilty. The court proceeding might last a week. Latvijas Avize

NRA reports that first 10 Romani from Ventspils (town in the Northern part of Latvia) have completed computer training courses held in the framework of the project aimed at providing computer training for the Roma. The project is launched by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration and funded by the enterprise Microsoft Latvia. The project is implemented in the framework of the National Action Plan for integration of Roma in Latvia 2007- 2009.

Chas reports that the Russian Community of Liepaja (town in the Northern part of Latvia) is opening the Russian House on 8 December. The Russian House will be provided to various organisations to hold various events and Russian speaking residents of Liepaja.

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation to 635 persons, including 43 minors. 74% of new citizens are Russians, 10%- Ukrainians, 9% -Belorussians. Overall 119, 680 persons have been granted Latvian citizenship since the procedure was launched in 1995.

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation to 635 persons, including 43 minors. 74% of new citizens are Russians, 10%- Ukrainians, 9% -Belorussians. Overall 119, 680 persons have been granted Latvian citizenship since the procedure was launched in 1995. Vesti Segodnya