• Latvian politicians comment ethnic tensions in France
• Ultra-radicals accuse the President of Latvia of anti-Latvian stance
• The former Minister of Interior: Latvia must defend itself from radical Islam organizations
• A leader of Latvian national bolshevics warns on a new protest action
• Alfreds Rubiks speaks on possible outcomes of parliamentary elections

Chas asks several representatives of political parties whether they consider that conflicts similar to the recent events in France can happen in Latvia. According to Valerijs Agesins (the Harmony Centre), the French events are signals for Latvian politicians that they should implement a democratic minority-related policy. Vjaceslavs Stepanenko (the Latvias First Party) and Augusts Brigmanis (the Union of Greens and Farmers) dont consider this issue topical in Latvia yet while Andris Berzins (the Latvias Way) exclude a possibility of such events in Latvia since ethnic tensions exist primarily at the political level. Jurijs Sokolovskis (FHRUL) says that Latvia is at the initial stage of such events and similar incidents are possible approximately in five years. Chas

On the web site

On the web site www.latvians.lv, two of the ultra-national groupings Helsinki-86 ex-activists Linard Grantins and Raimonds Bitinieks have published the statements accusing the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga of not defending ethnic Latvians and persecuting the journalists of the newspaper DDD and the activists of the Latvian National Front allegedly being concerned with the destiny of Latvian nation. Vesti Segodnya

In an interview to

In an interview to Latvijas Avize, the former Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons has stated that Latvias society must defend itself from radical Islam organizations which might appear in Latvia in future. According to Eriks Jekabsons, several representatives of these radical organizations have already visited Latvia with a view to possible establishing of their departments.

 Yesterday one of the Latvian national bolshevics’ leaders Benes Ayo has come to

Yesterday one of the Latvian national bolshevics leaders Benes Ayo has come to Chas editorial office and informed on his planed protest action in order to get a support in his court proceeding. Benes Ayo is charged for the call to overturn the political system of Latvia.

In an interview to

In an interview to Telegraf, the leader of the Latvian Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks assumes that the party Harmony Centre might get 50% of votes in the forthcoming Saeima elections. According to Alfreds Rubiks, the voters will not support Latvian and Russian nationalistic parties anymore.

• Administrative violations of the State Language Law
• The Minister of Justice and the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau on the measures to prevent corruption in the Naturalization Board

The Commission of the State Language Centre has found 247 cases of the State Language Law’s administrative violation in the time period from 22 March to 10 October 2005. The cases were initiated against 67 employees in security firms, 6 – in sales networks (RIMI Latvia, VP Market, Mego etc.), 116 – in private and state institutions, firms and organizations, including children’s gardens, schools, hospitals, police departments etc. All the accused persons must pay different fines. The Commission has also specified the time period when the accused persons must prove their state language skills.

The Commission of the State Language Centre has found 247 cases of the State Language Laws administrative violation in the time period from 22 March to 10 October 2005. The cases were initiated against 67 employees in security firms, 6 – in sales networks (RIMI Latvia, VP Market, Mego etc.), 116 – in private and state institutions, firms and organizations, including childrens gardens, schools, hospitals, police departments etc. All the accused persons must pay different fines. The Commission has also specified the time period when the accused persons must prove their state language skills. Vesti Segodnya

The Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina will ask the government for funding to ensure video cameras for oversight in the examination rooms and the establishment of the Internal Audit Department in the Naturalization Board. According to Solvita Aboltina, the Internal Audit Department would help to improve control over regional departments of the Naturalization Board. The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has made the same proposals. It also emphasized that the Naturalization Board should ensure more careful employees’ recruitment procedure in the future.

The Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina will ask the government for funding to ensure video cameras for oversight in the examination rooms and the establishment of the Internal Audit Department in the Naturalization Board. According to Solvita Aboltina, the Internal Audit Department would help to improve control over regional departments of the Naturalization Board. The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has made the same proposals. It also emphasized that the Naturalization Board should ensure more careful employees recruitment procedure in the future. Telegraf, Diena

• Representative of Russian Presidents Administration will visit Riga

On Monday the head of the presidential department for interregional and cultural ties with foreign countries of the Russian Federation Modest Kolerov is going to come to Riga. The target of the visit is to obtain information on the situation of Russians in Latvia and to participate in the discussion “The Latvian-Russian relations: problems and perspectives”.

On Monday the head of the presidential department for interregional and cultural ties with foreign countries of the Russian Federation Modest Kolerov is going to come to Riga. The target of the visit is to obtain information on the situation of Russians in Latvia and to participate in the discussion The Latvian-Russian relations: problems and perspectives. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

• Professor of Latvias University will not be dismissed for his statements on Islam
• A conflict between Russian and Latvian children in a Latvian school

As reported earlier, the Union of Muslim Communities in Latvia has asked the resignation of the professor Leons Taivans. According to the Union, the statements of Taivans about Islam in one of his interviews are insulting to Muslims. According to

As reported earlier, the Union of Muslim Communities in Latvia has asked the resignation ofthe professorLeons Taivans. According to the Union, the statements of Taivans about Islam in one of his interviews are insulting to Muslims. According to NRA, the University of Latvia has sent a reply letter to the Union of Muslim Communities, and the professor will not be dismissed. A member staff of the University has stated that everyone has the right to express an opinion, which the University can not limit or change. In the interview to NRA, Leons Taivans believes that he has not insulted the esteem of Muslims. He has also tried to contact with the author of the letter Zufar Zainullin. NRA

Rigas Balss prints an article on the situation of Russian children in Latvian schools. A Russian woman is telling that children in a Latvian school have been abusive to her son studying in the 4th grade on the grounds of his ethnicity. In the interview to Rigas Balss, the class teacher of the boy told that the fight among the children has not happened on the grounds of the boys ethnicity. The representatives of the Education, Youth and Sport Department of the Riga City Council have recommended the cooperation between the school psychologist, the class teacher, the boy and his parents in order to find the true reason of the conflict.

• The Minister of Justice will not assess the conformity of Eizenija Aldermane with her post
• The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration meets with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
• The Minister of Education will explore the situation of the state language in the higher education institutions

Yesterday the Saeima’s Citizenship Law Implementation Committee has decided not to ask the Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina to assess the conformity of the head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane with her post. According to Solvita Aboltina, she does not have any information that would approve Aldermane’s quilt of the negligence in the Naturalization Board.

Yesterday the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee has decided not to ask the Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina to assess the conformity of the head of the Naturalization Board Eizenija Aldermane with her post. According to Solvita Aboltina, she does not have any information that would approve Aldermanes quilt of the negligence in the Naturalization Board. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

During the visit to the Netherlands, the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis has met with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus. Ainars Latkovskis has explained the situation with minority education reform, naturalization process and citizenship in Latvia.

During the visit to the Netherlands, the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis has met with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus. Ainars Latkovskis has explained the situation with minority education reform, naturalization process and citizenship in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday the Minister of Education Ina Druviete has participated at the meeting of with faction of Latvia’s Socialist Party where she spoke on the targets of the working group created to explore the situation of the state language in higher education institutions. According to Druviete, the target of the working group is to access the situation of the instruction’s language and to decide on the possible need for amendments of the Law on Higher Education Institutions. Ina Druviete has stated that she is going to start meetings with rectors of private higher education institutions to hear their point of view this week.

Yesterday the Minister of Education Ina Druviete has participated at the meeting of with faction of Latvias Socialist Party where she spoke on the targets of the working group created to explore the situation of the state language in higher education institutions. According to Druviete, the target of the working group is to access the situation of the instructions language and to decide on the possible need for amendments of the Law on Higher Education Institutions. Ina Druviete has stated that she is going to start meetings with rectors of private higher education institutions to hear their point of view this week. Vesti Segodnya