• Latvian Human Rights Committee organised conference devoted to the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Vesti Segodnya reports that some non-citizens experience hurdles in accessing help envisioned for the relatives of the victims of shopping centre collapse

On 8 December 2013, Latvian Human Rights Committee organised international conference devoted to the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Experts, politicians, human rights defenders, representatives of civil society participating in the conference discussed the current human rights situation in Europe and the Baltic States, as well as compliance with the norms of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya writes about a family of non-citizens, who experience problems in receiving assistance envisioned for the relatives of the victims of shopping centre collapse in Riga on 21 November 2013. According to the newspaper, the interviewed family still could not receive the LVL 40 (EUR 57) compensation from the social services, and complained that the charity portal which collects private donations communicate only in Latvian and provided support only after involvement of journalists.

• Head of the Latvian Roma Association Normunds Rudevics proposes to build Roma villages in Latvia
• MP Iveta Grigule: Latvia might be obliged to accept 10,000 refugees every year
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the head of the Saeima’s faction of the Concord Centre Valerijs Agesins

Diena reports about an initiative of the head of the Latvian Roma Association, commissioner of the International Roma Union Normunds Rudevics of building Roma villages in Latvia. According to Mr Rudevics, the aim of such initiative is to solve the problems of Latvian Roma people through stimulating economic growth in regions. Mr Rudevics proposes to build at least four Roma villages and each of those would have several factories, about 50 houses for Roma families, culture house, places for leisure, administrative building, kindergarten, sports hall, and a store. Building one village would cost around 40 millions euros. For such purpose Mr Rudevics wants to attract funding of the European Commission’s Europe’s growth strategy “Europe2020.”

Vesti Segodnya reports that the European Commission (EC) proposed to pay the EU member countries EUR 6,000 for every refugee accepted. Member of the Saeima’s Committee on European Affairs, MP Iveta Grigule believes that such proposal is just a beginning. According to Mrs Grigule, presently, the EC works on elaboration of a number of new directives and regulations stipulating that the EU member states should obligatory within set quotas accept refugees from the Middle East and North African region. Mrs Grigule supposes that Latvia might be obliged to accept 10,000 refugees every year.

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the head of the Saeima’s faction of the Concord Centre Valerijs Agesins. Mr Agesins criticizes the draft Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia saying that it splits the society and creates tension. Mr Agesins does not agree that the referendum on granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia in February 2012 showed that there is a need to strengthen Latvian language because people who voted for Russian language as a state language most likely had different motivation to do so. According to Mr Agesins, it would be much more useful to conduct a research about the reasons which motivated part of Latvian citizens to vote for Russian language at the referendum and to hold the National Forum inviting simple people with different opinions to come together and decide what to do next and how to solve the problems.

• Society Integration Foundation presented the Society Unity Award

The Society Integration Foundation has presented the Society Unity Award to the head of the Herman Braun Foundation Inna Davidova for long-term and systematic work in promoting society integration. The Liepaja Society of the Blind received the incentive Award for contribution to the consolidation of the society. The Award for contribution to the promotion of tolerance was presented to a filmmaker Kaspars Goba. The Award for creative approach in strengthening of the society unity was presented to the head of theatre of the women’s Ilguciems prison Kristine Kletniece-Sika. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

• The Concord Centre remains the most popular party in Latvia

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by agency TNS and TV channel LNT, 31% of respondents would support the Concord Centre if the Saeima’s elections are held today. The Unity would receive support of 11% of respondents, the nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM – 10%, the Union of Greens and Farmers – 8%. Other parties would receive less than 5% of votes and would not enter the Parliament. Telegraf

• Recently established Union of Non-citizens in Estonia will work together with Latvian Congress of Non-citizens

Vesti Segodnya reports about establishment of the Union of Non-citizens in Estonia which follows the practice of the Latvian Congress of Non-citizens. Head of the Estonian Union of Non-citizens Oleg Besedin believes that Latvian Congress of Non-citizens and Estonian Union of Non-citizens should work together in order to make their activities more effective as both countries have similar problem. According to Mr Besedin, there are about 300,000 non-citizens in Latvia and about 90,000 non-citizens in Estonia.