LETA

Memorandum to be signed between Jaunzeme-Grende and professionals in the arts

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:13:00 +0300

RIGA, May 16, LETA - In order to ease the current tension and avert differences in the future, the Cultural Alliance - an association uniting all of the arts in Latvia, will sign a memorandum with Culture Minister Zaneta Jaunzeme-Grende (All For Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK) next week.

The memorandum will stipulate the framework for cooperation between the sector, the ministry, the minister and her political party's Saeima MPs....

Latvia handles March 16 remembrance events well - Israeli ambassador

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:54:00 +0300

RIGA, May 16 (LETA) - Latvia is doing a good job of handling the March 16 Latvian Legion remembrance events every year, Israeli Ambassador to Latvia Hagit Ben Yaakov says in an interview with LETA.

The ambassador dissociates herself from the Simon Wiesenthal Center head Efraim Zuroff's statement about a rebirth of neo-Nazism in Latvia, saying that she had not heard about it and had not even met with Zuroff. Ben Yaakov says, when asked if Zuroff's activity is damaging to the cooperation between Latvia and Israel, that she knows well how the two countries cooperate, and that the embassy enjoys full support of Latvian authorities. Both countries have common values, and both are ready to protect these values. Zuroff's activities have nothing to do with the relations between Latvia and Israel, says the ambassador....

Latvia loses to Sweden, finishes in tenth place at Ice Hockey World Championships

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:49:00 +0300

STOCKHOLM, May 16 (LETA) - Latvian national ice hockey team yesterday failed to score again in its last game at the World Championships in Stockholm, losing to Sweden 0-4 (0-2, 0-1, 0-1).

Altogether, the Latvian team has been unable to score a goal for almost 220 minutes now, which is the longest scoreless spell for the Latvian team at Ice Hockey World Championships....

Latvia has always looked at China as an important cooperation partner - Rinkevics

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:52:00 +0300

RIGA, May 15 (LETA) - During a meeting with visiting Chinese National Defense Minister General Liang Guanglie in Riga today, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (Reform Party) pointed out that Latvia has always seen China as an important cooperation partner.

As LETA was informed by the Foreign Ministry's press and information department, the two sides also discussed bilateral relations, cooperation in culture and education, economic cooperation, as well as the strategic partnership between China and the European Union. The two sides agreed that despite different points of views on some matters, Latvia and China must continue to concentrate on cooperation in all areas, as well as continue having a constructive dialogue on matters where opinions differ....

Latvia registers EU's fastest economic growth in Q1

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:01:00 +0300

LUXEMBOURG, May 15 (LETA) - In the first quarter of 2012, Latvia's economy displayed the fastest growth across the European Union when compared with the first quarter of 2011, or the second fastest if compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the latest data from the EU's statistical office "Eurostat".

The second largest year-on-year growth was recorded in Lithuania - 4.3 percent. Estonia's GDP grew 4 percent, the third largest growth in the EU....

Government supports VAT and income tax reductions

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:53:00 +0300

RIGA, May 15 (NOZARE.LV) - Today, the government agreed that the value added tax (VAT) rate would be reduced one percentage point on July 1 this year, from the current 22 percent to 21 percent, whereas personal income tax will be reduced five percentage points in the next three years, from the current 25 percent to 20 percent.

The Finance Ministry calculates that reducing personal income tax by one percentage point in 2013 will leave the budget with LVL 33.2 million less in revenue....