Press Review

Press Review

Prime Minister V.Kristopans and the Chairman of ULSD E.Baldzens signed yesterday a co-operation agreement to fulfil the declaration of the Cabinet of Ministers. Thus the ULSD officially has become a government supporting faction.

Prime Minister V.Kristopans and the Chairman of ULSD E.Baldzens signed yesterday a co-operation agreement to fulfil the declaration of the Cabinet of Ministers. Thus the ULSD officially has become a government supporting faction. Neatkariga, Diena, Jauna Avize, Chas, Bizness & Baltiya, Panorama Latvii

Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins is going to Moscow today to meet with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. Latvian MFA hope that this meeting could be a turning point for better in the relations of both countries. M.Riekstins also plans to meet Russian Council Vice-Speaker V.Platonov and the Chairman of Russian Council Foreign Affairs V.Lukin.

Latvian MFA State Secretary M.Riekstins is going to Moscow today to meet with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Avdeyev. Latvian MFA hope that this meeting could be a turning point for better in the relations of both countries. M.Riekstins also plans to meet Russian Council Vice-Speaker V.Platonov and the Chairman of Russian Council Foreign Affairs V.Lukin. Neatkariga, SM

49.6% of all unemployed persons registered in Latvia are Latvians, 36.5% - Russians, but the unemployment rate of other nations does not exceed 5%. These data are from National Employment Service.

49.6% of all unemployed persons registered in Latvia are Latvians, 36.5% - Russians, but the unemployment rate of other nations does not exceed 5%. These data are from National Employment Service. Neatkariga,

Immigration Office of Great Britain informs that 520 Latvians have asked for asylum in this country last year.

Diena (Russian version)

Russian speaking newspaper Chas writes about disastrous situation at the illegal immigrants centre in Olaine where people are forced to starve due to too small portions of food. The illegals have sent letters to the newspaper telling about their situation, and Panorama Latvii interviewed the Head of the Centre A.Eglitis. He acknowledged that the amounts for one person for one week you could eat in four days, but they were grown up people and had to plan. A.Eglitis also added that nobody had died of starvation. Chas

Press Review

Press Review

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper "Latvijas Vestnesis”.

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper"Latvijas Vestnesis. Diena, B&B

B&B interviews the MFA State Secretary Maris Riekstins who will leave for Moscow to meet with the Russian Deputy Minister of the Foreign Affairs Alexander Avdeev tomorrow. According to Mr. Riekstins, Latvia is ready to have a discussion about the present relations between both countries. Mr. Riekstins will inform the Russian side about the priorities of the Latvian government. The main task of the visit is to draw a scenario for the co-operation in 1999, Mr. Riekstins said.

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy. 

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy.Diena

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins told 

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins toldDiena that the Commission approved the partial increase of the Naturalisation Board budget for 10, 000 Lats of 48, 500 Lats requested by the Board. Fifteen Estonian MP s sent a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister who is the OSCE Chairman in Office expressing dissatisfaction of the recent activities of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel. The MPs asked the OSCE Chairman to seriously assess the activities of the High Commissioner towards Estonia by pointing out that they do not serve the objective to lessen the tension on national minority issues. In the letter it is stated that since 1991 Estonia has reformed all spheres and that now it is a democratic and a stable nation that respects and protects the human rights and the rights of national minorities. The OSCE High Commissioner, however, has stepped back from his statements that Estonia has fulfilled all recommendations and criticised the Amendments to the Estonian Election Law adopted by the Estonian parliament at the end of the last year. The more serious problem, according to the MPs, is that by doing it the High Commissioner has got involved into the pre-election campaign of some political forces which since the restoration of the independence have tried to create discord and tension in the society. Diena

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Press Review

The fraction

The fraction For Fatherland and Freedom will ask the Minister of the Interior Peteris Jurdzs to intensify the police work on the investigation of forged language certificate cases, the Chair of the Fatherland and Freedom fraction Andrejs Pozarnovs told journalists after the meeting with Director of the State Language Centre Dzintra Hirsa on Monday. At the meeting Ms. Hirsa told that the Police ignore the requests of the Latvian language centre to investigate the cases of the forged language proficiency certificates considering them insignificant. The representatives of the Fatherland and Freedom and the State Language Centre expressed concern about the slow pace of the state language law consideration in the Saeima. Both parties agreed that in the near future a new regulations of the state language commissions should be adopted. The Chair of the State Language Certification Commission Ieva Zuicena toldDiena that the common perception is that people bribe the certification commissions to obtain the Latvian language proficiency certificates. But, in fact, persons who do not have the language knowledge buy the forged certificates on the market. According to information provided by the Language Inspectorate, since 1992 the Inspectorate has fined 1314 holders of the forged language proficiency certificates. Last year the State Language Centre filed materials to the Office of the Procurator General about 83 cases of the forged certificates. Diena, Neatkariga

The first regional human rights support centres were opened in Aluksne on Friday and in Liepaja yesterday. In February the similar centres will be opened in Daugavpils, Talsi, Jelgava, Tukums, Jekabpils, and Cesis, the project manager from the NGO Centre Ruta Dimanta told journalists. The objective of the project is to strengthen the regional NGO’s and with their help to inform people about their rights. Each such centre will have a library containing materials on human rights in Latvia, Russian, and English.

The first regional human rights support centres were opened in Aluksne on Friday and in Liepaja yesterday. In February the similar centres will be opened in Daugavpils, Talsi, Jelgava, Tukums, Jekabpils, and Cesis, the project manager from the NGO Centre Ruta Dimanta told journalists. The objective of the project is to strengthen the regional NGOs and with their help to inform people about their rights. Each such centre will have a library containing materials on human rights in Latvia, Russian, and English. Diena

B&B refers to the newspaper De Volkskrant (the Netherlands) according to which the Latvian and Estonian governments did not want the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Chasinforms that today the Cabinet of Ministers might finally decide on the procedure of granting citizenship to children born after 21 August 1992. Since the beginning of this year the Naturalisation Board has received 67 preliminary applications for citizenship of children younger than 9 years old. Another issue that might be considered by the Cabinet of Ministers today is the amendments to the regulations on the procedure of the naturalisation concerning the language and history examinations.

Panorama Latvii publishes an interview with the Zigfrids Grinpauks, the Head of the Education Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education. According to Mr. Grinpauks, by the end of the last year 147 teachers did not possess the state language proficiency certificate, and 89 of them were dismissed. Mr. Grinpauks assured the readers that those teachers who have been dismissed but who will have passed the language examination, will be able to return to work. In two cases - in Ventspils and in the Cesis region, teachers have already returned to work after passing the language exam.

Press Review

The Chairman of the

The Chairman of the Union of Latvian Social Democrats faction E.Baldzens, Prime Minister V.Kristopans, as well as representatives of New Party and TB/LNNK came to an agreement that Social Democrats had the right to conclude separate co-operation agreements with any of government forming parties. In the draft agreement between the ULSD and the government there is an article that in the case the ULSD demands a resignation of a Minister, it would be agreed with the Prime Minister. Neatkariga

Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Birkavs did not make any comments on the statements made by an anonymous MFA official that the government should reconsider its welcoming policy towards Russia if it did not change its pressure policy towards Latvia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he would not react to anonymous announcements. V.Birkavs also said that Latvia was ready for a dialogue with Russia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Birkavs did not make any comments on the statements made by an anonymous MFA official that the government should reconsider its welcoming policy towards Russia if it did not change its pressure policy towards Latvia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he would not react to anonymous announcements. V.Birkavs also said that Latvia was ready for a dialogue with Russia. Neatkariga

To define a unique position on internal aspects, the State President, Saeima Speaker, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs have decided to prepare several working documents not for publishing. V.Birkavs acknowledged that although Latvia was realising a unique foreign policy, it was still necessary to give more clear signals for foreign countries. These four officials met on Friday on an invitation of the State President and discussed their positions an the four Saeima approved foreign policy priorities - integration in EU, NATO, establishing of good neighbour relations with Russia and regional co-operation. They came to a conclusion that their opinions agree on integration issues in general but differ on the speed and tactics, in its turn what concerns regional co-operation - most attention should be paid to elaborate a unique Baltic position. The longest discussions were on Russia.

To define a unique position on internal aspects, the State President, Saeima Speaker, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs have decided to prepare several working documents not for publishing. V.Birkavs acknowledged that although Latvia was realising a unique foreign policy, it was still necessary to give more clear signals for foreign countries. These four officials met on Friday on an invitation of the State President and discussed their positions an the four Saeima approved foreign policy priorities - integration in EU, NATO, establishing of good neighbour relations with Russia and regional co-operation. They came to a conclusion that their opinions agree on integration issues in general but differ on the speed and tactics, in its turn what concerns regional co-operation - most attention should be paid to elaborate a unique Baltic position. The longest discussions were on Russia. Diena, Bizness & Baltiya

Marshal of Polish Seim M.Plazynsky, while meeting with the representatives of Polish Community in Latvia, made a conclusion that it was important for Polish people, living here, to try to get Latvian citizenship and to be involved in political processes.

Marshal of Polish Seim M.Plazynsky, while meeting with the representatives of Polish Community in Latvia, made a conclusion that it was important for Polish people, living here, to try to get Latvian citizenship and to be involved in political processes. Diena

Several deputies of the Saeima faction

Several deputies of the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia have signed a support letter for nominating the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel for the Nobel Peace Prise, but official state authorities do not express their opinion on it. Majority of politicians think that official Latvian institutions should remain neutral because there are contradictory opinions on the activities of the High Commissioner in Latvia and he has made more input for decreasing ethnic conflicts in hot spots but not for Latvia.

Press Review

Press Review

The

The Union of Latvian Social Democrats, representatives of Latvijas Cels faction and Prime Minister V.Kristopans have come to an agreement that ULSD would not submit for the Saeima consideration draft laws concerning the state budget without former agreeing on them in the Coalition Council. Nevertheless the ULSD faction Chairman E.Baldzens said that it did not mean Social Democrats stepping back from their positions. Neatkariga, Jauna Avize, Rigas Balss

As there is no fixed time for Presidential election, the Saeima sent to commissions for consideration the draft law “On the time of Presidential election and the procedure of resigning” proposed by the State President.

As there is no fixed time for Presidential election, the Saeima sent to commissions for consideration the draft law On the time of Presidential election and the procedure of resigning proposed by the State President. Neatkariga

Joined EU and Latvian Committee has come to a conclusion that the attempts to improve Latvian -Russian relations should be supported. In its turn, Russia together with Latvian should renew the activities of bilateral intergovernmental Commission and immediately sign the prepared agreements, also the border agreement.

Joined EU and Latvian Committee has come to a conclusion that the attempts to improve Latvian -Russian relations should be supported. In its turn, Russia together with Latvian should renew the activities of bilateral intergovernmental Commission and immediately sign the prepared agreements, also the border agreement. Neatkariga

On Thursday the Saeima adopted in the first reading the State Budget law and six amendments to different law. The Saeima repeatedly rejected the daft law on amendments to the education law.

On Thursday the Saeima adopted in the first reading the State Budget law and six amendments to different law. The Saeima repeatedly rejected the daft law on amendments to the education law. Diena

The

The Union of Citizens and Non-citizens has suggested an idea to allow non-citizen to participate in municipal elections. Although the majority of population in all Latvian regions and biggest cities are citizens, the ruling parties do not want to take any risks and change one of the basic foundations of Latvian political system. The only faction ready to support it is For Human Rights in United Latvia. The discussion on this topic has been raise in every Saeima, but so far it is always with no doubt rejected. Diena

At a conference on human rights, organised upon an initiative of the President G.Ulmanis, different aspects of human rights were discussed. Among presenters were the President himself and different state officials.

At a conference on human rights, organised upon an initiative of the President G.Ulmanis, different aspects of human rights were discussed. Among presenters were the President himself and different state officials. SM