• Saeima Speaker appeals the decision of the Security Police on the refusal to initiate a criminal process for incitement to ethnic hatred in a documentary Baltic Nazism
• Executive Director of the Riga City Council: there are no reasons to refuse permissions to organize public activities on 16 March
• Security Police have initiated 13 criminal cases for incitement to ethnic hatred in 2005
• Academician Ilga Apine: Latvians are not democrats
• Security Police initiated a criminal process against former deputy of the Riga City Council for anti-governmental statements
• Professor of the Baltic Russian Institute: citizens from ethnically mixed families must unite in a political force
• Results of the festivity Russian Culture and Education in Latvia

Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre appealed the decision of the Security Police on the refusal to initiate a criminal process for incitement to ethnic hatred in a documentary “Baltic Nazism” produced by a Russia’s TV company. Ingrida Udre has also asked to the President’s Committee of Historians to evaluate the documentary and to give their conclusion.

Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre appealed the decision of the Security Police on the refusal to initiate a criminal process for incitement to ethnic hatred in a documentary Baltic Nazism produced by a Russias TV company. Ingrida Udre has also asked to the Presidents Committee of Historians to evaluate the documentary and to give their conclusion. Chas, Latvijas Avize

The Executive Director of the Riga City Council Eriks Skapars stated that there are no reasons to refuse a permission to the political party Union of National Forces to hold a procession on 16 March, the unofficial commemoration day of Latvian WW II legionnaires. Eriks Skapars said that a special committee will review all applications and will take a decision. As reported, the left-wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia asked the Riga City Council not to issue any permissions to hold public actions in Riga on this day.

The Executive Director of the Riga City Council Eriks Skapars stated that there are no reasons to refuse a permission to the political party Union of National Forces to hold a procession on 16 March, the unofficial commemoration day of Latvian WW II legionnaires. Eriks Skapars said that a special committee will review all applications and will take a decision. As reported, the left-wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia asked the Riga City Council not to issue any permissions to hold public actions in Riga on this day. Chas, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Diena

In 2005, the Security Police have initiated the highest ever number – 13 - of criminal cases for incitement to ethnic hatred.  The Head of the SP stated that increase in the number of such cases should be evaluated positively, because it shows that measures are taken to deal with the phenomena. The official also noted that the number of applications from members of society asking to evaluate alleged calls to ethnic hatred, has increased and that proves that the attitude of society towards the phenomena has changed.

In 2005, the Security Police have initiated the highest ever number – 13 - of criminal cases for incitement to ethnic hatred. The Head of the SP stated that increase in the number of such cases should be evaluated positively, because it shows that measures are taken to deal with the phenomena. The official also noted that the number of applications from members of society asking to evaluate alleged calls to ethnic hatred, has increased and that proves that the attitude of society towards the phenomena has changed. Chas

Professor ethnologist Ilga Apine stated that Latvians are not democrats. According to

Professor ethnologist Ilga Apine stated that Latvians are not democrats. According to Vesti Segodnya, Ilga Apine reached the conclusion on the basis of the research on interethnic relations. Among other results, the research revealed that the majority of Latvian respondents consider the low number of Russians in governmental institutions a positive tendency. Participation of Russians in the ruling coalition is a main principle of parliamentary democracy, unfortunately, Latvians do not understand what equality is… Our politicians are responsible for such perception, because they follow principles of ethnic democracy, said Ilga Apine.

The Security Police have initiated a criminal process against the former member of the Riga City Council Aleksandrs Gilmans for his statements made on the discussion forum of the NGO’s Headquarters for the Defense of the Russian Language Schools in Latvia homepage. As reported, the right-wing political party FF/LNIM believes that the Gilmans’ statements are anti-governmental. In an interview with the news agency LETA, Aleksandrs Gilmans stated that his statements were “philosophical meditations in an abstract discussion.”

The Security Police have initiated a criminal process against the former member of the Riga City Council Aleksandrs Gilmans for his statements made on the discussion forum of the NGOs Headquarters for the Defense of the Russian Language Schools in Latvia homepage. As reported, the right-wing political party FF/LNIM believes that the Gilmans statements are anti-governmental. In an interview with the news agency LETA, Aleksandrs Gilmans stated that his statements were philosophical meditations in an abstract discussion. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena

In

In NRA, the professor of the Baltic Russian Institute Pavels Tyurins stated that citizens from mixed Russian-Latvian families must unite in one political force. Pavels Tyurins considers that these families are a good example of integration. He believes that children who grow up in ethnically mixed families are genetically tended to be neutral to people of other ethnicities, as well as such children present interests of both ethnicities.

The Latvian Association for Support of Russian-language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) reported on the first results of the festivity “The Russian Culture and Education in Latvia.”

The Latvian Association for Support of Russian-language Schools (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) reported on the first results of the festivity The Russian Culture and Education in Latvia. The organizers expressed their satisfaction with the results of the essays competition on themes concerning Russians and the Russian culture. The final festive meeting will take place on 28 January. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Minister of Foreign Affairs: Latvia is ready to provide all requested information for the PACE
• FHRUL asks the Riga City Council not to issue any persmissions to hold public actions on 16 March, commemoration day of WW II Latvian legionnaires

The Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks, when asked to comment the decision of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) not to accept the decision of its Monitoring Committee to stop the post-monitoring dialog with Latvia, said that there are no reasons to continue monitoring the situation of national minorities in Latvia. The Minister, however, noted that Latvia is ready to provide all the requested additional information. He believes that the Bureau’s decision is the result of political pressure made by Russian politicians.

The Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks, when asked to comment the decision of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) not to accept the decision of its Monitoring Committee to stop the post-monitoring dialog with Latvia, said that there are no reasons to continue monitoring the situation of national minorities in Latvia. The Minister, however, noted that Latvia is ready to provide all the requested additional information. He believes that the Bureaus decision is the result of political pressure made by Russian politicians. Chas, Diena

The union For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) asked the Executive Director of the Riga City Council not to issue any permissions to hold  public actions in Riga on 16 March, the unofficial commemoration day of Latvian WW II legionnaires. FHRUL argues that public activities on 16 March ruins Latvia’s image at international level and incites ethnic hatred.

The union For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) asked the Executive Director of the Riga City Council not to issue any permissions to hold public actions in Riga on 16 March, the unofficial commemoration day of Latvian WW II legionnaires. FHRUL argues that public activities on 16 March ruins Latvias image at international level and incites ethnic hatred. Vesti Segodnya

• PACE did not accept the decision to stop post-monitoring dialog with Latvia
• Security Police will not initiate a criminal process concerning the documentary Baltic Nazism produced by a Russias TV company

Yesterday, the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) did not accept the decision of its Monitoring Committee to stop the post-monitoring dialog with Latvia. Now, Latvia will have to report on the implementation of the recommendations on the situation of national minorities in Latvia issued by the Assembly. The Head of the PACE Monitoring Committee Georgiy Frunda believes that Latvia has to deal with the following issues: large number of non-citizens; minority education reform; specific reservations made to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Head of the Russian delegation to the PACE Konstantin Kosachev in an interview with

Yesterday, the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) did not accept the decision of its Monitoring Committee to stop the post-monitoring dialog with Latvia. Now, Latvia will have to report on the implementation of the recommendations on the situation of national minorities in Latvia issued by the Assembly. The Head of the PACE Monitoring Committee Georgiy Frunda believes that Latvia has to deal with the following issues: large number of non-citizens; minority education reform; specific reservations made to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Head of the Russian delegation to the PACE Konstantin Kosachev in an interview with Vesti Segodnya stated that the decision of the PACE is unique, because the Bureau has never before returned already accepted decisions for a second review. Chas

The Security Police refused to initiate a criminal process concerning a documentary “Baltic Nazism” produced by a Russia’s TV company. The Security Police argue that the documentary does not call to ethnic hatred. The Security Police also refused to start a criminal process against the left-wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia, which organized the release of the documentary at the premises of the Saeima. As reported, members of the Greens and Framers Union asked the Security Police to evaluate the content of the documentary.

The Security Police refused to initiate a criminal process concerning a documentary Baltic Nazism produced by a Russias TV company. The Security Police argue that the documentary does not call to ethnic hatred. The Security Police also refused to start a criminal process against the left-wing party For Human Rights in United Latvia, which organized the release of the documentary at the premises of the Saeima. As reported, members of the Greens and Framers Union asked the Security Police to evaluate the content of the documentary. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

• FF/LNIM asks to evaluate statements published on an internet forum

The right-wing political party FF/LNIM has asked the Security Police to evaluate a comment published in the discussion forum of the NGO’s Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Language schools in Latvia homepage. A person, signed as

The right-wing political party FF/LNIM has asked the Security Police to evaluate a comment published in the discussion forum of the NGOs Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Language schools in Latvia homepage. A person, signed as Gilman, wrote the Latvian State is the same absolute evil as the Nazi State was… the only difference is that Latvia is much more coward. FF/LNIM considers that a person who had signed ‘Gilman is a member of the Rigas Council Aleksandr Gilman. Telegraf

• Minister of Education: first results of minority education reform could be seen and analyzed in a year
• Old believers and Orthodox Christians are celebrating Christmas
• Head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia: Orthodoxy draws Russians in Latvia together

The Minister of Education Inna Druviete in an interview with the National Radio stated that the first results of bilingual education implemented in national minority schools could be seen and analyzed only in a year, when students, subjected to the reform, graduate. Inna Druviete also stated that the instruction language in state higher education establishments must be only Latvian, because according to Latvian legislation Latvian is the only official language.

The Minister of Education Inna Druviete in an interview with the National Radio stated that the first results of bilingual education implemented in national minority schools could be seen and analyzed only in a year, when students, subjected to the reform, graduate. Inna Druviete also stated that the instruction language in state higher education establishments must be only Latvian, because according to Latvian legislation Latvian is the only official language. Chas

On Saturday, Old Believers and Russian Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas. The Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Education in the Russian language (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) together with the Slavic Historical Community in Riga organized a students competition “Important events and great people in Russia.”

On Saturday, Old Believers and Russian Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas. The Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Education in the Russian language (LASHOR in its Russian acronym) together with the Slavic Historical Community in Riga organized a students competition Important events and great people in Russia. Vesti Segodnya

The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia Metropolitan Aleksandr in an interview with

The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia Metropolitan Aleksandr in an interview with Chas, said that the Orthodox Church is the only thing that unites Russians in Latvia. Metropolitan Aleksandr also expressed his dissatisfaction with people who use the Russian Orthodox Church for their political benefits in pre-election campaigns.