• Vesti Segodnya reports about a provocation conducted by the TV journalists towards Russian language schools

Vesti Segodnya reports about a TV broadcast “Prohibited Techniques” in which its journalists, on the threshold of the Independence Day (18 November), called three Russian language schools in Riga pretending to be representatives of the Ministry of Education and asked the directors of the schools to put posters devoted to the Independence Day. Later, the same journalists repeatedly called the schools pretending to be representatives of an organisation “9 May” and asked to remove the posters as those contain information about Soviet occupation. Following such provocation, two schools agreed to remove the posters. Thus, the journalists made a conclusion that despite the fact that Russian language schools conduct events devoted to the Independence of Latvia, managers of the schools are disloyal towards Latvian state. Following the broadcast, the Ministry of Education planned to conduct an inspection of the education quality in mentioned schools. The Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs, in his turn, stated that the City Council will not punish the directors as they became victims of a cheep and foolish provocation.

• Valerijs Kravcovs elected to the post of the President of the Russian Community of Latvia

Ex-MP, head of the Liepaja Russian Community Valerijs Kravcovs elected to the post of the president of the Russian Community of Latvia. Mr Kravcovs replaced long-time president of the Russian Community Vjaceslavs Altuhovs. According to Mr Kravcovs, his main task will be to attract young people to the activities of the Community and to establish the house of the Community as now it occupies a small room provided by an entrepreneur. Vesti Segodnya

• Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon praised Latvia for promotion of human rights

The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon during his visit to Latvia praised Latvia for promotion of human rights and strengthening of women's rights. This is the first visit of the Secretary-General of the UN to Latvia. Diena

• Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon called Latvian authorities to solve the problem of non-citizenship

The Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, on the threshold of the official visit to Latvia, called Latvian authorities to solve the problem of non-citizenship in the country. Such statement, most likely, followed the appeal from the Congress of Non-citizens which asked for the UN assistance solving issue of non-citizenship in Latvia. Mr Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Latvia is on 14-15 November. Vesti Segodnya

• Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of Russian speaking residents on medical personnel of one of the largest hospitals in Riga who refuse to speak Russian to non-Latvian patients
• Constitutional Court refused a claim about non-conformance of regulations on state language requirements for local deputies with the Constitution

Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of Russian speaking residents on medical personnel of one of the largest hospitals in Riga who refuse to speak Russian to non-Latvian patients or do it unwillingly. Newspaper describes a case when an old man who spoke to a nurse in Russian got reproach why he does not speak Latvian. Representative of the hospital refused rude treatment of Russian speaking residents arguing that there are many Russian speaking doctors and patients and language problem does not exist.

The Constitutional Court of Latvia refused a claim about non-conformance of the Rules of the Cabinet of Ministers about state language requirements for local deputies with the Constitution. The claim was submitted by the ex-deputies of Jekabpils Natalja Cehova and Liepaja Valerijs Kravcovs who were subjected to the state language inspections after adoption of regulation stipulating that the local deputies should be proficient in Latvian language for the highest category. The claimants argued that among ethnic minority citizens of Latvia, about 80% (300,000 persons) do not correspond to such requirements and thus their right to be elected to the local government is violated. Vesti Segodnya