• Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case on incitement to ethnic hatred against two men who refused to speak Latvian to a policeman
• Organisation Preserve Language and Latvia continues to collect signatures in support of transition of all state funded schools into Latvian language only
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts active communication with Turkey regarding visas for Latvian non-citizens

The Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case on incitement to ethnic hatred against two men who refused to speak Latvian to a policeman. As reported, a video posted on the Internet showed that a car driver and his passenger stopped by the policeman for the violation of traffic regulations refused to show their IDs arguing that they do not speak Latvian and insisted that the officer speaks to them in Russian. The Minister of Interior Linda Murniece considered that the individuals were mocking the policeman and even incited to ethnic hatred and, therefore, turned to the Security Police. At the same time, the police initiated a criminal case on resistance to police officer.

The Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case on incitement to ethnic hatred against two men who refused to speak Latvian to a policeman. As reported, a video posted on the Internet showed that a car driver and his passenger stopped by the policeman for the violation of traffic regulations refused to show their IDs arguing that they do not speak Latvian and insisted that the officer speaks to them in Russian. The Minister of Interior Linda Murniece considered that the individuals were mocking the policeman and even incited to ethnic hatred and, therefore, turned to the Security Police. At the same time, the police initiated a criminal case on resistance to police officer. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that an organisation Preserve Language and Latvia established by supporters of the nationalists party All for Latvia! continues to collect signatures in support of amendments to the Constitution stipulating transition of all state funded schools into Latvian language only. The collection of signatures was initiated by the party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, however, it failed to collect the sufficient number of signatures. Preserve Language and Latvia decided to continue the initiative and to collect signatures at public events during national holidays on 11 and 18 November in the centre of Riga.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts active communication with Turkey regarding visas for Latvian non-citizens. Turkey recently amended its regulations, envisaging that non-citizens should apply for visas at the Turkish Embassy eight weeks before departure. Previous regulations envisaged that non-citizens could receive visas at the moment of arrival to the country and the Ministry wants to restore this arrangement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts active communication with Turkey regarding visas for Latvian non-citizens. Turkey recently amended its regulations, envisaging that non-citizens should apply for visas at the Turkish Embassy eight weeks before departure. Previous regulations envisaged that non-citizens could receive visas at the moment of arrival to the country and the Ministry wants to restore this arrangement. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

• Head of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee Visvaldis Lacis: work of the Committee will not be radicalised

Vesti Segodnya interviews the Head of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee Visvaldis Lacis (former Waffen SS legionnaire). Mr. Lacis states that the work of the Committee will not be radicalised, although he personally thinks that naturalisation procedure should be tougher. According to Mr. Lacis, the Committee should discuss issues concerning citizenship at all levels and to study experience of other countries in this field

• Saeima did not support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis
• Number of applications for residence permit in Latvia from foreign investors grew

The majority of the Saeima did not support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis. As reported, opposition parties demanded resignation of the Minister due to his email exchange with radical nationalist Aivars Slucis. At the same time, the board of the party Civic Union decided to exclude Aivars Slucis from the party for unacceptable, undemocratic, and unethical statements and to pay him back donation to the party. 

The majority of the Saeima did not support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis. As reported, opposition parties demanded resignation of the Minister due to his email exchange with radical nationalist Aivars Slucis. At the same time, the board of the party Civic Union decided to exclude Aivars Slucis from the party for unacceptable, undemocratic, and unethical statements and to pay him back donation to the party. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Telegraf reports that number of applications for residence permits in Latvia from foreign investors grew. The majority of applicants are Russian citizens. The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) in total received about 70 applications since the amendments to the Immigration Law stipulating easier procedure for foreign investors became effective on 1 July. According to a representative of the OCMA, part of the applications is under consideration but there were no negative decisions yet.

• Saeima decides whether to support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis
• MP Visvaldis Lacis elected to the post of the Head of the parliamentary Commission on Implementation of Citizenship Law
• Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with a head of the Russian NGO in Jekabpils Rodnik

Today, the Saeima decides whether to support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis because of his email exchange with radical nationalist Aiavrs Slucis. In the meantime, another email from Mr. Slucis with which Mr. Kristovskis also agrees got published yesterday. In the email, Mr. Slucis states that all decisions of granting Latvian citizenship after 1991 should be frozen and reviewed with an aim to annul the majority of them; all school should be only with Latvian language of instructions; repatriation of ethnic Russians should be actively supported etc.

Today, the Saeima decides whether to support resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis because of his email exchange with radical nationalist Aiavrs Slucis. In the meantime, another email from Mr. Slucis with which Mr. Kristovskis also agrees got published yesterday. In the email, Mr. Slucis states that all decisions of granting Latvian citizenship after 1991 should be frozen and reviewed with an aim to annul the majority of them; all school should be only with Latvian language of instructions; repatriation of ethnic Russians should be actively supported etc. Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize

The MP Visvaldis Lacis representing nationalists’ union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM-All for Latvia! and a former Waffen SS legionnaire, was elected to the post of the Head of the parliamentary Commission on Implementation of Citizenship Law.

The MP Visvaldis Lacis representing nationalists union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM-All for Latvia! and a former Waffen SS legionnaire, was elected to the post of the Head of the parliamentary Commission on Implementation of Citizenship Law. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with a head of the Russian NGO in Jekabpils Rodnik Natalja Cehova. Mrs. Cehova complains that state funding is unfairly too small to insure activities of ethnic minorities NGOs. Mrs. Cehova believes that ethnic minorities should press for their interests more actively because they are as equal tax payers as ethnic Latvians.

• Party For Latvia and Ventspils also demands for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis
• Chas reports that nationalist Aivars Slucis financially supported the Civic Union and All for Latvia!
• Conference Most important tasks of preservation of Russian world in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia
• Head of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens Vladimirs Sokolovs: Russian language is politically repressed

The political party For Latvia and Ventspils, headed by the Mayor of Ventspils and one of the leaders of the Union of Greens and Farmers Aivars Lembergs, demands for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis. As reported, in an email to Mr. Kristovskis, radical nationalist Aiavrs Slucis gives his view about ethnic issues in Latvia and states that “as a doctor I would not be able to treat Russians in Latvia equally with ethnic Latvians.” In response, Mr Kristovkis states that he agrees with opinion and evaluation of Mr. Slucis. The party For Latvia and Ventspils calls on the government coalition parties and the Prime Minister to evaluate whether Russophobia is incompatible with the status of the member of the Cabinet of Ministers. Earlier, two of the Saeima’s opposition parties demanded for resignation of the Minister.

The political party For Latvia and Ventspils, headed by the Mayor of Ventspils and one of the leaders of the Union of Greens and Farmers Aivars Lembergs, demands for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis. As reported, in an email to Mr. Kristovskis, radical nationalist Aiavrs Slucis gives his view about ethnic issues in Latvia and states that as a doctor I would not be able to treat Russians in Latvia equally with ethnic Latvians. In response, Mr Kristovkis states that he agrees with opinion and evaluation of Mr. Slucis.The party For Latvia and Ventspils calls on the government coalition parties and the Prime Minister to evaluate whether Russophobia is incompatible with the status of the member of the Cabinet of Ministers. Earlier, two of the Saeimas opposition parties demanded for resignation of the Minister. Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas reports that nationalist Aivars Slucis who lives permanently in USA made donations to the parties Civic Union (member of the Unity) and All for Latvia! Before the Saeimas elections Mr. Slucis called ethnic Latvians to vote for the Unity and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM- All for Latvia! in order to make sure that those two parties would receive at least 60% of votes in order to began repatriation of Russians and guarantee status of Latvian language as the only state language.

Chas reports about a conference Most important tasks of preservation of Russian world in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia recently held in Riga by the Russias Institute of CIS countries. Representatives of Russias compatriots organisations from three Baltic countries who took part in the conference criticized Russia for insufficient policy on protection of compatriots.

Head of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens Vladimirs Sokolovs appealed to the European Parliament asking to review and to clarify the status of Russian language in the EU. According to Mr. Sokolovs, Russian language is politically repressed because of the fact that it is not granted status of official language despite that more than a million residents in Baltic Countries are Russian speakers.

Head of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens Vladimirs Sokolovs appealed to the European Parliament asking to review and to clarify the status of Russian language in the EU. According to Mr. Sokolovs, Russian language is politically repressed because of the fact that it is not granted status of official language despite that more than a million residents in Baltic Countries are Russian speakers. Vesti Segodnya