• Court of Balvi District punished two persons with suspended sentence for illegal transportation of persons over the state border
• Telegraf: budget cuts in the State Border Guard Service might lead to greater influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia
• The Ombudsmans Office postponed elaboration of draft amendments to Latvian legal acts stipulating removal of discriminatory restrictions on non-citizens
• Saeima has assigned the duties of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration to the Minister of Children, Family and Integration Affairs Ainars Bastiks

The Court of Balvi (city in Eastern part of Latvia) District has punished a Latvian citizen and a Russian citizen with suspended sentence for illegal transportation of persons over the state border. The persons were detained in December 2008 for attempt to transport to Latvia five citizens of Syria illegally. The Latvian citizen was sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment and three years of probation and Russian citizen to two years suspended imprisonment and two years of probation. The Chief of the State Border Guard Service Gunars Dabolins criticizes the court’s decision arguing that such soft punishment might create favourable conditions for development of illegal immigration in the future. According to the State Border Guard Service, the number of illegal immigrants has noticeably grown during the last year. From the beginning of 2008, 188 persons were placed in the Olaine camp for illegal immigrants.

The Court of Balvi (city in Eastern part of Latvia) District has punished a Latvian citizen and a Russian citizen with suspended sentence for illegal transportation of persons over the state border. The persons were detained in December 2008 for attempt to transport to Latvia five citizens of Syria illegally. The Latvian citizen was sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment and three years of probation and Russian citizen to two years suspended imprisonment and two years of probation. The Chief of the State Border Guard Service Gunars Dabolins criticizes the courts decision arguing that such soft punishment might create favourable conditions for development of illegal immigration in the future. According to the State Border Guard Service, the number of illegal immigrants has noticeably grown during the last year. From the beginning of 2008, 188 persons were placed in the Olaine camp for illegal immigrants. Vesti Segodnya

Telegraf reports that due to budget cuts, the State Border Guard Service will have fewer resources to control the state border and thus, the influx of illegal immigrants to Latvia might grow. The MEP from Latvia Inese Vaidere in an interview with the newspaper states that if the number of illegal immigrants to Latvia will grow due to the luck of funding, Latvia might be subjected to sanctions because of Schengen Agreements conditions.

Due to budget cuts, the Ombudsman’s Office postponed elaboration of draft amendments to Latvian legal acts stipulating removal of discriminatory restrictions on non-citizens. As reported, in October 2008, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified.

Due to budget cuts, the Ombudsmans Office postponed elaboration of draft amendments to Latvian legal acts stipulating removal of discriminatory restrictions on non-citizens. As reported, in October 2008, the Ombudsman admitted that some restrictions on non-citizens are not justified. Telegraf

Following the merger of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration with the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, the Saeima has assigned the duties of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration duties to the Minister of Children , Family and Integration Affairs Ainars Bastiks.

Following the merger of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration with the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, the Saeima has assigned the duties of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration duties to the Minister of Children , Family and Integration Affairs Ainars Bastiks. Latvijas Avize notes that as a result of further restructuring of ministries, the integration ministers functions might be assigned to another minister.

• Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov does not welcome Latvian Presidents decision to speak only in Latvian

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov in an interview with

The Russian Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov in an interview with Telegraf stated that the decision of the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers to speak at public events and with journalists only in Latvian language will hinder dialogue with Russian speaking residents of the country.

• Telegraf prints an article on possible aggressive protestors and organisers of violent clashes

Newspapers continue to report about anti-governmental rioting in Riga on 13 January.

Newspapers continue to report about anti-governmental rioting in Riga on 13 January. Telegraf prints an article on possible aggressive protestors and organisers of violent clashes. According to the article, representatives of various radical groups – ultra-right, skinheads and left-wing radicals were among aggressive protestors. Leader of the Latvian National Bolsheviks Vladimirs Lindermans in an interview with the newspaper stated that despite differences in opinion and personal conflicts among some of the participants of the manifestation in the past, the common aim of the protest reconciled them. Jevgenijs Osipovs, leader of pro-Russian nationalistic party Osipovs Party, states that, despite the claim of Security Police that a member of his party was detained among organisers of the clashes, official representatives of the party did not support the manifestation. Ethnic Latvian nationalistic party All for Latvia! published at its home page a comment on the protest actions, arguing that representatives of governing coalition might be among instigators of the clashes, because violence during the protest could be used as an argument against the manifestation as such. According to Telegraf, Latvian secret services were aware that representatives of various radical groups could organise clashes. However, the secret services were caught unprepared when a dozen of radicals were joined by common people who were not connected to the radical groups.

• 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.