Press Report

Yesterday the Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on the ratification of the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees. The amendments provide for applying the status to refugees entering Latvia from any part of the World. The initial version of the Law adopted on June 19 allowed to apply it only to refugees from European countries. Adoption of the amendments will allow Latvia to establish a non-visa regime with Sweden and Finland. Diena

Former USSR passports with Register of Inhabitants stamps held by non-citizens will not be valid for traveling abroad starting January 1, 1998. Such passports held by citizens will not be valid for leaving Latvia starting November 1, 1997. Still, non-citizens do not hurry to apply for new alien passports. According to the CID, new passports are held only by 4% of non-citizens. Chas

"Tevzemei un Brivibai/LNNK" Deputy-Chairman Juris Dobelis in an interview for "BIZNES & BALTIYA" said that the party chose "a pragmatic approach" toward current political issues. As an example he mentioned its participation in the discussion of employment restrictions for non-citizens. Mr. Dobelis claimed the Prime-Minister and "TB"/LNNK to have similar standpoints on the most essential issues.