• The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting
• TV5 might loose its broadcasting license
• Registration refused to political party chaired by a non-citizen of Latvia

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting. The President stated that “Latvia has always been a country in which people of various nationalities and religious denominations live in friendship. We can be proud of the fact that people in our country are free to select their religious affiliation, thus seeking out the deepest sources of their faith”. Orthodox Christmas is not officially recognized holiday in Latvia.

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers addressed all Orthodox Christians and Old Believers with a Christmas greeting. The President stated that Latvia has always been a country in which people of various nationalities and religious denominations live in friendship. We can be proud of the fact that people in our country are free to select their religious affiliation, thus seeking out the deepest sources of their faith. Orthodox Christmas is not officially recognized holiday in Latvia. Neatkarīgā, Chas, Vesti Segodya, Telegraf

In an interview with internet portal

In an interview with internet portal politika.lv the head of the National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) Abrams Kleckins stated that if the court will rule that an incitement to ethnic hatred took place in TV5s broadcast Un-censored, the NRTC might revoke the channels broadcasting license. As reported, viewers of TV5s live broadcast Un-censored on 18 November were asked: What was Latvias acquisition of independence? and one of the offered answers was it was a fatal mistake. The NRTC considered that such question is inappropriate and fined TV5 with LVL1000 (EUR 1422). The TV5 channel is planning to contest the fine in court. Telegraf

Vesti Segodya reports that political party 13 January Movement was refused registration for the second time. The Register of Enterprises pointed out that Vladimirs Lindermans cannot chair the party, because he is a non-citizen of Latvia, and that according to the Security Police, the constituent meeting of the party did not take place. According to Mr. Lindermans, following the constituent meeting, its participants were individually summoned to and pressured by the Security Police.

• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM plans to gather 10,000 signatures to ensure that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language

Newspapers report that the right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) plans to gather 10,000 signatures for its initiative to enshrine in the Constitution that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language. The initiative could imply transition of all elementary and secondary state-funded minority schools to education only in Latvian language. There are concerns that FF/LNIM, a member of the ruling coalition, is focusing on the issue now because its popularity is very low while the parliamentary elections will be held within less than a year.

Newspapers report that the right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) plans to gather 10,000 signatures for its initiative to enshrine in the Constitution that the state guarantees free-of-charge elementary and secondary education only in the state language. The initiative could imply transition of all elementary and secondary state-funded minority schools to education only in Latvian language. There are concerns that FF/LNIM, a member of the ruling coalition, is focusing on the issue now because its popularity is very low while the parliamentary elections will be held within less than a year. Chas, Vesti Segodya