UEFA is conducting a thorough investigation into seven matches of the Champions League and the Europa League involving clubs from Albania, Latvia, Slovenia, and Hungary, according to the official Web site of UEFA.
"A meeting was held today at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with the nine national football associations named last week by German authorities as having domestic league matches under investigation," reads the statement.
UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino said: "From the original list of around 40 fixtures in Europe that were considered suspicious in terms of results, UEFA is today further investigating seven European club competition fixtures under its jurisdiction in more detail."
"The five clubs involved are KF Tirana (Albania), FC Dinaburg (Latvia), KS Vllaznia (Albania), NK IB Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Budapest Honved FC (Hungary)," he said.
The list of suspicious matches includes the match of the Champions League's second qualifying round between Stabek IF and KF Tirana. It also includes six matches of the Europa League's second and third qualifying rounds, particularly Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC - FC Dinaburg, FC Dinaburg - Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC, KS Vllaznia - SK Rapid Wien, SK Rapid Wien - KS Vllaznia, NK IB Ljubljana - FC Metalurh Donetsk (Ukraine), and Fenerbahce SK - Budapest Honved FC.
"Irrespective of the above matches, UEFA is today also opening its own investigation into the possible involvement of three referees and one other individual connected to UEFA, in the match fixing. Contrary to media reports there is no suspicion or investigation into any UEFA administration staff," reads the statement.
Following a three hour meeting at the UEFA headquarters regarding the current match-fixing and betting scandal with the objective of an exchange of information, UEFA and the nine football associations of Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey that were mentioned in the Bochum case issued the following statement.
"UEFA and the national associations are facing a case of organized crime which exceeds the investigative power of sports jurisdiction. They are grateful to the state authorities for their firm action, also in the interest of sport," reads the document.
UEFA and the national associations will contact the competent authorities in each country to obtain access to the relevant information involving clubs and individuals within their jurisdiction.
Source:interfax.com.ua
Sunday, November 29, 2009
EU's Almunia: Latvia Budget Will Boost Confidence
BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--A proposed 2010 budget unveiled by the Latvian authorities recently will strengthen the country's fiscal position and help restore international confidence, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Joaquin Almunia said Friday.
Latvia's budget, drafted in response to pressure from the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund, calls for steep spending cuts to help control the country's widening budget deficit.
"The action taken by the government is a key step in the direction of strengthening international confidence in the ability of Latvian authorities to deal with the challenges brought by economic crisis, and to implement the measures agreed with international partners within the program," Almunia said in a statement.
Latvia is enduring one of the steepest economic declines in the European Union. Gross domestic product fell 18.4% in the third quarter and 18.7% in the second.
The commission and the IMF will begin next week reviewing how Latvia is implementing the agreed reforms, Almunia said.
-By Matthew Dalton, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 14 87; matthew.dalton@dowjones.com
Source:wsj.com
Latvia's budget, drafted in response to pressure from the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund, calls for steep spending cuts to help control the country's widening budget deficit.
"The action taken by the government is a key step in the direction of strengthening international confidence in the ability of Latvian authorities to deal with the challenges brought by economic crisis, and to implement the measures agreed with international partners within the program," Almunia said in a statement.
Latvia is enduring one of the steepest economic declines in the European Union. Gross domestic product fell 18.4% in the third quarter and 18.7% in the second.
The commission and the IMF will begin next week reviewing how Latvia is implementing the agreed reforms, Almunia said.
-By Matthew Dalton, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 14 87; matthew.dalton@dowjones.com
Source:wsj.com
Latvia - Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, at Baltic Council meeting, to report on Latvia's priorities for Baltic co-operation in 2010
On 27 November, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will join his colleagues at the 15th meeting of the Baltic Council in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The agenda of the meeting includes evaluating the work accomplished by the Lithuanian Presidency in the field of trilateral co-operation in 2009, as well as identifying priority areas for co-operation in 2010, when Latvia assumes the chairmanship of the Baltic Council of Ministers.
Latvia has set as next year's top priority the stabilisation of the economic situation in the Baltic region, its growth and an enhanced competitiveness. The Prime Ministers' meeting of the Baltic Council of Ministers on 5-6 November in Vilnius achieved an agreement on the Baltic states co-operation and concerted action in the field of economy and finance, as well as the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
Latvia has also highlighted security policy as a vital issue in trilateral co-operation both when harmonising the positions by the Baltic states in the development of the new NATO Strategic concept and in energy and environmental security issues.
Due to the fact that Latvia in 2010 will also be in charge of co-ordinating the Baltic-Nordic co-operation (NB8), one of the proposed priorities is the Baltic-Nordic strategic co-operation, expanding contacts to address regional and global issues.
The Baltic Council of Ministers was established in 1994 as and institution for co-operation between Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Baltic Assembly, established in 1991, is an institution for co-ordination of activities and mutual exchange of consultation between the parliaments of the three Baltic states. The Baltic Assembly convenes its sessions on annual basis.
In 2010, Latvia will take over duties from Lithuania and become the presiding state of the Baltic Council of Ministers and of the Baltic Assembly.
Source:isria.com
The agenda of the meeting includes evaluating the work accomplished by the Lithuanian Presidency in the field of trilateral co-operation in 2009, as well as identifying priority areas for co-operation in 2010, when Latvia assumes the chairmanship of the Baltic Council of Ministers.
Latvia has set as next year's top priority the stabilisation of the economic situation in the Baltic region, its growth and an enhanced competitiveness. The Prime Ministers' meeting of the Baltic Council of Ministers on 5-6 November in Vilnius achieved an agreement on the Baltic states co-operation and concerted action in the field of economy and finance, as well as the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
Latvia has also highlighted security policy as a vital issue in trilateral co-operation both when harmonising the positions by the Baltic states in the development of the new NATO Strategic concept and in energy and environmental security issues.
Due to the fact that Latvia in 2010 will also be in charge of co-ordinating the Baltic-Nordic co-operation (NB8), one of the proposed priorities is the Baltic-Nordic strategic co-operation, expanding contacts to address regional and global issues.
The Baltic Council of Ministers was established in 1994 as and institution for co-operation between Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Baltic Assembly, established in 1991, is an institution for co-ordination of activities and mutual exchange of consultation between the parliaments of the three Baltic states. The Baltic Assembly convenes its sessions on annual basis.
In 2010, Latvia will take over duties from Lithuania and become the presiding state of the Baltic Council of Ministers and of the Baltic Assembly.
Source:isria.com
Herman van Rompuy to visit Latvia as Belgian PM
Herman van Rompuy, recently elected the first European Union president, will visit Latvia December 2 as incumbent Belgian prime minister, the Chas newspaper reported on its website.
Van Rompuy, 62, was elected permanent president of the European Council by the 27-nation bloc's leaders at a meeting on Thursday evening.
Latvia has been hard hit by an economic crisis, with many enterprises going bankrupt. The government has asked international financial organizations for assistance, and they are ready to grant the republic a 7.5 billion euro ($11.2 bln) loan.
During his visit, van Rompuy will meet with Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis.
To take the office of EU president, elected for 2.5 years but not more than for two terms, van Rompuy has to resign as Belgian premier, which he has not done yet. He is to take the new office on January 1.
(Source: Ria Novosti)
Source:tehrantimes.com
Van Rompuy, 62, was elected permanent president of the European Council by the 27-nation bloc's leaders at a meeting on Thursday evening.
Latvia has been hard hit by an economic crisis, with many enterprises going bankrupt. The government has asked international financial organizations for assistance, and they are ready to grant the republic a 7.5 billion euro ($11.2 bln) loan.
During his visit, van Rompuy will meet with Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis.
To take the office of EU president, elected for 2.5 years but not more than for two terms, van Rompuy has to resign as Belgian premier, which he has not done yet. He is to take the new office on January 1.
(Source: Ria Novosti)
Source:tehrantimes.com
Latvia gets Development Cooperation role in new European Commission
Latvia's prime minister reports that Latvia will be responsible for one of the most significantforeign policy areas of the European Union – development cooperation.
In a press release issued from the office of the prime minister, the new composition of the European Commission provides that Latvia will be responsible for one of the most significant foreign policy areas of the European Union – development cooperation. At the same time, Andris Piebalgs will represent the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council.
According to the Lisbon Treaty, this Council will be headed by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton. The objective of this policy is to provide aid to the poor and less–developed countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa with the aim to promote long–term social and economic development and contribute to poverty reduction.
By coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and establishing the Foreign Affairs Service, the position of the European Union as a global player in the world is being strengthened. The European Union is the largest donor to the developing countries. It allocates 46 billion euros per year which represent 55% of the whole global assistance.
Valdis Dombrovskis considers that the assignment of this area of responsibility to the Latvian representative signals about the high assessment of the previous work of Andris Piebalgs by the EC President Jose Manuel Barroso. It is yet another opportunity to strengthen the reputation and visibility of Latvia at the international level. It will promote the visibility of Latvia also in those regions of the world where cooperation has not been very intensive so far.
Source:baltictimes.com
In a press release issued from the office of the prime minister, the new composition of the European Commission provides that Latvia will be responsible for one of the most significant foreign policy areas of the European Union – development cooperation. At the same time, Andris Piebalgs will represent the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council.
According to the Lisbon Treaty, this Council will be headed by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton. The objective of this policy is to provide aid to the poor and less–developed countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa with the aim to promote long–term social and economic development and contribute to poverty reduction.
By coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and establishing the Foreign Affairs Service, the position of the European Union as a global player in the world is being strengthened. The European Union is the largest donor to the developing countries. It allocates 46 billion euros per year which represent 55% of the whole global assistance.
Valdis Dombrovskis considers that the assignment of this area of responsibility to the Latvian representative signals about the high assessment of the previous work of Andris Piebalgs by the EC President Jose Manuel Barroso. It is yet another opportunity to strengthen the reputation and visibility of Latvia at the international level. It will promote the visibility of Latvia also in those regions of the world where cooperation has not been very intensive so far.
Source:baltictimes.com
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Latvian unions to hold protest at Saeima December 1
Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia will hold a rally at the Saeima building on December 1 to protest against the 2010 state budget, as the confederation's head Peteris Krigers told LETA. The rally will start at 8:30 a.m.; 1,000 participants are expected
As reported, at the National Trilateral Council's meeting this morning, social partners harshly criticized the budget bill and the planned tax hikes.
Social partners stressed that higher taxes are unacceptable to business community, and called the current budget "anti-social".
The social partners also said that the planned tax hikes will have a negative effect on healthcare sector. As a result, the previous agreement on funding for healthcare will have to be revised.
Latvian Employers' Confederation President Vitalijs Gavrilovs, who had none of his questions answered regarding how exactly the budget will bring about economic recovery and growth, said at the meeting that social partners would not support the 2010 budget.
Employers' Confederation Director General Elina Egle told reporters after the meeting that, if the confederation could support the budget bill for the first reading in the parliament, now the bill has been amended so much that it can no longer be supported by the social partners.
"The most appalling is the fact that the opinion of the lenders is more important than the opinion of taxpayers," said Egle, adding that the economic downturn will continue and the shadow economy will increase as a result.
Personal income tax rate in Lithuania and Estonia is 21 percent, whereas Latvia will have a 26 percent tax rate. Minimum monthly wage and tax-exempt minimum income are also higher in both neighbor countries, which puts Latvia in a disadvantageous situation. Therefore, the government perhaps should have considered other alternatives, such as a higher property tax or progressive personal income tax, said Egle.
Egle also pointed out that the social partners' recommendations regarding structural reform in public administration had not been taken into consideration during the work on the 2010 state budget.
Source:baltic-course.com
Latvian artists Klutsis' exhibition unveiled in Spain’s Seville
From November 26 to February 28, two exhibition halls in Spain's Seville: "Caja San Fernando" and "Cajasol Cultural Centre" host an exhibition of works by the Latvian artist Gustavs Klutsis, as LETA learned from the Latvian National Museum of Art.
Gustavs Klutsis (1895-1938) is one of most prominent and internationally best-known Latvian artists. More than 100 pieces of his artwork from the Latvian National Art Museum's collection will be exhibited in Spain.
Latvia-born Klutsis is best known internationally as a representative of Russian avant-garde art – a constructivism devotee, pioneering photo montage artist and creator of landmark posters. His work marks a whole new era in art history, while his life story mirrors the fate of thousands of Latvians who stayed in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and later became victim of Stalin's terror in end 1930's.
Klutsis worked in a variety of experimental media; their dynamic compositions, distortions of scale and space, angled viewpoints and colliding perspectives make them perpetually modern.
The exhibition in Seville will include also several pieces by Klutsis from the collections of the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (Spain) and the Thessaloniki State Museum of Contemporary Art in Greece.
At the exhibition visitors will have a chance to see documentary about Gustavs Klutsis by Peteris Krilovs in Spanish; exhibition catalogues will be available in Spanish and in English.
Source:baltic-course.com
Gustavs Klutsis (1895-1938) is one of most prominent and internationally best-known Latvian artists. More than 100 pieces of his artwork from the Latvian National Art Museum's collection will be exhibited in Spain.
Latvia-born Klutsis is best known internationally as a representative of Russian avant-garde art – a constructivism devotee, pioneering photo montage artist and creator of landmark posters. His work marks a whole new era in art history, while his life story mirrors the fate of thousands of Latvians who stayed in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and later became victim of Stalin's terror in end 1930's.
Klutsis worked in a variety of experimental media; their dynamic compositions, distortions of scale and space, angled viewpoints and colliding perspectives make them perpetually modern.
The exhibition in Seville will include also several pieces by Klutsis from the collections of the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (Spain) and the Thessaloniki State Museum of Contemporary Art in Greece.
At the exhibition visitors will have a chance to see documentary about Gustavs Klutsis by Peteris Krilovs in Spanish; exhibition catalogues will be available in Spanish and in English.
Source:baltic-course.com
Latvian bikers to rally by Saeima building on November 30
The Motorcycle Club Association of Latvia will hold a rally by the Saeima building next Monday, November 30, when around 100 bikers will express their disagreement with the planned hike in the annual duty for motor vehicles.
President of the Motorcycle Club Association Aivars Freimanis explained in an interview with LETA that the bikers have no objections against tax increases as such, but that they find the planned hike of the annual duty for motorcycles from LVL 3 to LVL 50 disproportionate.
"We want the duty to be at least limited to a sensible amount of money, harmonized with the duty for passenger cars. It is against the logic that the duty for a car, which weighs half a ton, is LVL 24, while for a motorcycle, that weighs around 200 kilos, it is LVL 50," Freimanis said.
Motorcycle owners suggest the annual duty for motorcycles to make half of the planned duty for passenger cars, or LVL 12.
Freimanis informed that in case Saeima does not listen to bikers' objections, they will turn to other institutions, for example, the European Court of Justice.
"There is a huge interest about the rally. As it is autumn now, the number of participants is likely to be smaller than if the event was to take place in summer; still we expect around 100 bikers to attend," Freimanis informed, adding that most participants will leave their vehicles at home, but some may arrive on bikes.
Bikers from Lithuania and Estonia have expressed their support for motorcycle owners in Latvia.
The rally organized by the Motorcycle Club Association will start by the Saeima building at 1 p.m.
Saeima approved raising the annual duty on motor vehicles in the first reading yesterday.
The annual duty on motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles will be raised to LVL 50 (from LVL 3), while passenger car owners will have to pay the duty depending on the weight of the vehicle. Owners of cars weighing of up to 1,500 kilograms will have to pay LVL 24 annual duty (LVL 12 up until now), while cars of over 3,500 kilograms will be taxed LVL 150 per year, compared with LVL 78 duty at the moment.
Source:baltic-course.com
Number of British tourists in Latvia and Estonia is decreasing, but growing in Lithuania
The number of British tourists visiting Latvia and Estonia in reducing, but, at the same time, the number is growing in Lithuania, according to the United Kingdom's statistical office's data.
In the second quarter of this year Latvia was visited by approximately 11.1% less tourists from the United Kingdom than a year ago; the number of British tourists in Q2 plunged even more in Estonia: by 69.2% year-on-year.
On the other hand, the number of British tourists visiting Lithuania in the second quarter was 30% higher than a year ago, writes BBN/LETA.
Sven Lõokene, president of the Estonian association of travel agencies, says that the number of incoming British tourists has been falling on a consistent basis. "The main reason is that the economic recession in UK started earlier than in most other EU countries including Estonia," said Lõokene.
Source:baltic-course.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
LatviaTwitter
Latvia ( /ˈlætviə/ ; Latvian: Latvija), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia (343 km), to the south by Lithuania (588 km), to the east by the Russian Federation (276 km), and to the southeast by Belarus (141 km). Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden. The territory of Latvia covers 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) and it has a temperate seasonal climate.
The Latvians are Baltic people culturally related to the Estonians and Lithuanians, with the Latvian language having many similarities with Lithuanian, but not with the Estonian language. Today the Latvian and Lithuanian languages are the only surviving members of the Baltic languages of the Indo-European family. The modern name of Latvia is thought to originate from the ancient Latvian name Latvji, which, like the name of Lithuania, may have originated from the river named Latuva.
Latvia is a unitary parliamentary republic and is divided into 26 districts. The capital and largest city is Riga. Latvia has been a member of the United Nations since September 17, 1991; of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and of the NATO since March 29, 2004.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)