• State Border Guard Service detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since 2007
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Border Guard Service has detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since June 2007. The detained man is placed in the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia. According to representative of the Latvian Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office, number of asylum seekers in Latvia has grown since the country joined the Schengen treaty. 251 persons (mostly from Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somali, and Belarus) have appealed for asylum in Latvia from 2000 until 1 December of 2008. Status of refugee was granted to 17 persons and 21 persons were granted alternative status.

• State Border Guard Service detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since 2007
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Border Guard Service has detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since June 2007. The detained man is placed in the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia. According to representative of the Latvian Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office, number of asylum seekers in Latvia has grown since the country joined the Schengen treaty. 251 persons (mostly from Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somali, and Belarus) have appealed for asylum in Latvia from 2000 until 1 December of 2008. Status of refugee was granted to 17 persons and 21 persons were granted alternative status.

• Saeima has supported proposal to include Orthodox Christmas into the list of public holidays
• LVL 700,000 (EUR 996,010) have been allocated for Latvian NGOs projects aimed at society integration and strengthening civil society

Yesterday, the Saeima has supported proposal of the political party “The Concord Centre” to include Orthodox Christmas 6

Yesterday, the Saeima has supported proposal of the political party The Concord Centre to include Orthodox Christmas 6th and 7th January into the list of public holidays. As reported, such proposals on Orthodox Christmas were made trough past several years, however, every time they were refused by the majority of the MPs. Now the draft amendments are forwarded to the Saeimas Commissions for revision. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize reports that soon Latvian NGOs could apply for financial support for projects aimed at society integration and strengthening of civil society. The total amount allocated for these purposes is nearly LVL 700,000 (EUR 996,010); 85% of this amount is contributed by Island, Lichtenstein and Norway. The Head of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Juris Asars criticised funding conditions, stating it is wrong that only ethnic minority NGOs can apply for funding aimed at capacity building and cultural events, because integration process cannot be based only on preservation of culture of ethnic minorities.

 

• Coordination Council of NGOs requested the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke to explain why representatives of ethnic minorities are not engaged in the process of elaboration of new regulations on state language certification
• Saeimas Legal Committee has refused the draft amendments on easing procedures on changing ethnicity
• Telegraf reports that the Ministry of Interior has elaborated draft amendments to so-called passport rules
• Applicant for the post of the head of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau businessman Sergejs Sutkovs: Russian speaking residents of Latvia should aspire for work in governmental structures

The Coordination Council of NGOs in Latvia has requested the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke to explain why representatives of ethnic minorities are not engaged in the process of elaboration of new regulations on state language certification. The Coordination Council considers that such practice contradicts the basic principle of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities on participation of representatives of ethnic minorities. Yesterday, the Council has received reply to the request from the Minister of Education inviting representatives of the Council to the working meeting on elaboration of the new regulations.

The Coordination Council of NGOs in Latvia has requested the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and the Minister of Education Tatjana Koke to explain why representatives of ethnic minorities are not engaged in the process of elaboration of new regulations on state language certification. The Coordination Council considers that such practice contradicts the basic principle of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities on participation of representatives of ethnic minorities. Yesterday, the Council has received reply to the request from the Minister of Education inviting representatives of the Council to the working meeting on elaboration of the new regulations. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Legal Committee has refused the draft amendments on easing procedures on changing ethnicity. The draft amendments stipulated cancellation of requirement to prove Latvian language proficiency if a person wants to change ethnicity to “ethnic Latvian.”

Yesterday, the Saeimas Legal Committee has refused the draft amendments on easing procedures on changing ethnicity. The draft amendments stipulated cancellation of requirement to prove Latvian language proficiency if a person wants to change ethnicity to ethnic Latvian. Vesti Segodnya

Telegraf reports that the Ministry of Interior has elaborated the draft amendments to so-called passport rules. The draft amendments stipulate that if a person wants to save original Latin transliteration of name and surname in a new passport she or he will not be obliged to show birth certificates anymore but it will be sufficient if original spelling at least once appeared in old passport or in the Residents Register.

In an interview with

In an interview with Vesti Segodnya one of the applicants for the post of the head of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau businessman Sergejs Sutkovs states that Russian speaking residents of Latvia should aspire for work in governmental structures and municipalities to have impact on processes in Latvia.

• Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe discussed situation of Latvian non-citizens

Yesterday, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has discussed situation of Latvian non-citizens. The Congress has recommended the Latvian government to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections and grant Latvian citizenship without naturalisation to elderly people and to those who were born in Latvia.

Yesterday, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has discussed situation of Latvian non-citizens. The Congress has recommended the Latvian government to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections and grant Latvian citizenship without naturalisation to elderly people and to those who were born in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf