• Cabinet of Ministers has supported draft amendments prepared by the Ministry of Interior stipulating lowering of required state language proficiency level at work for firemen and boarder guards
• Latvijas Avize reports that the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis has issued a decree on establishment of a working group against hate speech on the Internet
• Activist of an NGO “Return Our Names” Ruslan Pankratov is planning to turn to the Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations Organisation objecting Latvianisation of non-Latvian names
• Most popular parties in June: the Concord Centre and the Union of Greens and Farmers

The Cabinet of Ministers has supported draft amendments prepared by the Ministry of Interior stipulating lowering of required state language proficiency level at work for firemen and boarder guards. While, the Saeima’s State Language Commission has appealed to the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis asking to make state language policy more severe and to support widening of list of posts and professions which would require obligatory Latvian language proficiency and usage. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize reports that the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis has issued a decree on establishment of a working group against hate speech on the Internet. The working group is under supervision of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Electronic Government Affairs and it includes representatives of the State Police, Ombudsman’s Office, Integration Secretariat, Ministry of Justice and other officials. The aim of the working group is to elaborate by 2 February 2009 draft legal acts on prevention of circulation of illegal information on the Internet.

Activist of an NGO “Return Our Names” Ruslan Pankratov is planning to turn to the Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations Organisation (UN) with an appeal against Latvia objecting Latvianisation of non-Latvian names in official documents issued in Latvia. As reported, the European Court of Human Rights for more than a year considers application of Ruslan Pankratov. Mr. Pankratov believes that after recommendations of the UN Latvia will not have other choice but to change rules on spelling of foreign names. Telegraf

According to the latest public opinion survey held by the market and social research company “Latvijas fakti”, only the Concord Centre and the Union of Greens and Farmers would get support by more than by 5 % of Latvian citizens if the Saeima elections are held in June – 10,5% and 6,9% accordingly. However, more than 50% of citizens are not decided whom to vote for yet or would not participate in the elections. Diena