• Opposition demand for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis
• Internet portal of Latglian culture: the ministries continue to ignore Latgalian language

The opposition parties the Concord Centre and the For Better Latvia demand for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis for statements made in his e-mail exchange with Latvian emigrant known for radical nationalistic views Aivars Slucis. As reported, in an email to Mr. Kristovskis, Mr 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.  Mr. Kristivskis in an interview with

The opposition parties the Concord Centre and the For Better Latvia demand for resignation of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis for statements made in his e-mail exchange with Latvian emigrant known for radical nationalistic views Aivars Slucis. As reported, in an email to Mr. Kristovskis, Mr 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. Mr. Kristivskis in an interview with Telegraf asserts that it is a provocation and phrases from his reply are drawn out of the context. Mr. Kristovskis also asserts that he is tolerant towards all ethnicities residing in Latvia and does not share statements of Mr. Slucis. Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Diena

According to the Internet portal of Latglian culture, the ministries continue to ignore Latgalian language. The portal criticizes that Ministry of Education and Science for delays in execution of decree of the Prime Minister to establish a working group which would elaborate proposals on granting specific status to Latgalian language.

According to the Internet portal of Latglian culture, the ministries continue to ignore Latgalian language. The portal criticizes that Ministry of Education and Science for delays in execution of decree of the Prime Minister to establish a working group which would elaborate proposals on granting specific status to Latgalian language. Latvijas Avize

• New Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovkis agrees with opinion of a radical nationalist about ethnic situation in Latvia
• MP and former Waffen SS assistant officer Visvaldis Lacis on responsibility for crimes against humanity

Chas and Vesti Segodnya report about an exchange of emails between the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovkis (the Unity) and Latvian emigrant Aivars Slucis known for his radical nationalistic views published yesterday. In an email to Mr. Kristovskis, Mr 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.

Vesti Segodnyareports about the recent reactions of the leaders of the radical nationalists party All for Latvia! following their non-inclusion into the goverment coalition. Imants Paradnieks, the MP and co-chairman of the party, believes that being outside the coalition gives his party a free hand in pursuing their purposes. Visvaldis Lacis, the MP and former Waffen SS assistant officer, alleges that ethnic Russians and Russian-speakers, of course, are not responsible for what happened, yet they are responsible for Russias crimes against humanity and against ethnic Latvians and Latvian state.

• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers: national and ethnic interests are not the same issues
• New MP Janis Dombrava: those MPs who are not proficient in Latvian language should leave the parliament as soon as possible

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers in his speech to the new parliament stated that national and ethnic interests are not the same issues and it is wrong to sort nations into “wrong” and “right” ones. According to the President, all Latvian citizens regardless their native language are part of Latvia.

The President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers in his speech to the new parliament stated that national and ethnic interests are not the same issues and it is wrong to sort nations into wrong and right ones. According to the President, all Latvian citizens regardless their native language are part of Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

The new and the youngest MP Janis Dombrava (member of the nationalists’ party All for Latvia!) in an interview with

The new and the youngest MP Janis Dombrava (member of the nationalists party All for Latvia!) in an interview with Vesti Segodnya stated that those MPs who are not proficient in Latvian language should leave the parliament as soon as possible. According to Mr. Dombrava, MPs from All for Latvia! will elaborate the draft law on deprivation of mandate of such deputies.

• New government plans to elaborate state program on national identity and integration

According to the draft declaration of the new government, it will elaborate state program on national identity and integration in order to strengthen sense of belonging to Latvia. The government also will promote preservation and dissemination of Latvian language as a basis for national identity, strengthening ethnic Latvian cultural space, and support originality of ethnic minority cultures.

According to the draft declaration of the new government, it will elaborate state program on national identity and integration in order to strengthen sense of belonging to Latvia. The government also will promote preservation and dissemination of Latvian language as a basis for national identity, strengthening ethnic Latvian cultural space, and support originality of ethnic minority cultures. Telegraf

• Neatkariga: at least 50,000 ethnic Latvians voted for the Concord Centre
• One-fourth part of the newly elected MPs have insufficient Latvian language proficiency
• Three workers of the Russias CIS Countries Institute were denied Latvian visas

According to a study conducted by a student of the Geography and Earth Sciences Faculty of the University of Latvia, at least 50,000 ethnic Latvians voted for the Concord Centre. The conclusion was drawn from correlating the data on ethnic Latvian and ethnic minority voters living in every Latvian region. Columnist of

According to a study conducted by a student of the Geography and Earth Sciences Faculty of the University of Latvia, at least 50,000 ethnic Latvians voted for the Concord Centre. The conclusion was drawn from correlating the data on ethnic Latvian and ethnic minority voters living in every Latvian region. Columnist of Neatkariga believes that results of this study show that the assertion that the Concord Centre is only ethnic Russian party is wrong. Neatkariga

The State Language Centre believes that one-fourth part of the newly elected MPs have insufficient Latvian language proficiency.  The Centre is planning to meet with the head of the Concord Centre’s faction in order to discuss state language proficiency among its members elected in the Saeima because the majority of MPs with insufficient language proficiency comes from this party.

The State Language Centre believes that one-fourth part of the newly elected MPs have insufficient Latvian language proficiency. The Centre is planning to meet with the head of the Concord Centres faction in order to discuss state language proficiency among its members elected in the Saeima because the majority of MPs with insufficient language proficiency comes from this party. Neatkariga

Latvijas Avize reports that three workers of the Russias CIS Countries Institute were denied Latvian visas. The persons planned to take part in a conference about the main tasks for preservation of so-called Russian world in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia held by Russian compatriots organisations in Riga. The CIS Countries Institute criticizes such decision of Latvia and considers that it is aimed at hindering relations between Russia and Latvia.