Latvija in brief

In the first six months of the year, the Corruption Prevention Bureau (CPB) received 588 notification from residents about possible corrupt activities, reports LETA. In the first six months of last year, the CPB received 492 such notifications. CPB press representative Inta Saboha told LETA that the bureau does not have any kind of social survey or study which would explain the reason why people are becoming more active in notifying about possible corrupt activities. The Corruption Prevention Bureau urges residents to notify the bureau if they believe any corrupt activities are taking place.

The number of single-person households in Latvia has increased from 25 percent in 2000 to 34 percent in 2011, when the last population census was carried out, according to Central Statistical Bureau data, reports Nozare.lv. A similar trend is observed everywhere in Europe. For instance, the proportion of single-person households in Lithuania has increased from 29 percent in 2001 to 32 percent in 2011; in Estonia, the proportion in 2011 was the same as now in Latvia - 34 percent. Overall, there were 859,800 private households in Latvia in 2011, of which 809,200 were living in apartments or private homes, and the remaining 50,600 were sharing their housing unit with another household. An average household has 2.38 members, according to the population census findings. In 2000, the figure was at 2.66.

In an interview on the Aug. 27 edition of the Latvijas Neatkariga televizija (LNT) news program ‘900 Seconds,’ Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said that the issuing of residency permits to foreign citizens in not just an economic matter, but must also be evaluated from a future security standpoint. Pabriks said that the residency permits “have in a way helped solve some real estate problems in the country,” but that the goal of the investments must also be carefully evaluated. They must be geared towards creating new jobs and stimulating economic growth, instead of being just a residency solution for foreign citizens.” He said that “If these people plan on living in Latvia, they have to learn Latvian, and their children must go to Latvian schools,” the minister said. All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK has threatened to block the passing of next year’s budget if the matter on granting residency permits in exchange for purchasing real estate is not solved. The party has called on its coalition partners to agree on when and how to put an end to granting residence permits in exchange for real estate purchases.