The latest murder mystery by Latvian-Canadian writer Ilze Berzins is scheduled for publication on Nov. 26, the author has announced. Titled Kolka, the story takes place in Canada, Latvia and Sweden.

Beginning with the disappearance of a woman, the novel takes the reader to two continents and three countries through the eyes of Birdie Finch, a friend of the missing woman. The story is told from a first-person perspective, according to Berzins.

The book is published by Ottawa-based Albert Street Press, which has published Berzins’ other titles, including last year’s Riga Blanca, Riga Mortis (2002), A Tear in God’s Eye (2001), Revenge on the Rideau (2000) and Death in the Glebe (1999).

Berzins became widely known in the North American Latvian community with publication in 1997 of Happy Girl, a controversial look at her experiences trying to repatriate to Latvia.

The book costs USD 25 (including postage) and may be ordered direct from the author by sending e-mail to ilzeberzins@hotmail.com.

The World Federation of Free Latvians (PBLA), in its annual meeting this week in Rīga, has renewed a call for Latvia’s parliament to reject a bill that would bar dual citizens from holding certain high government offices. Bill 832, proposed this summer by members of Tautas partija (People’s Party), on Sept. 30 survived its first reading.

Titled “Par ierobežojumiem personām ar dubulto pilsonību ieņemt augstākos valsts amatus,” the proposed legislation would bar dual citizens from serving in 23 categories of high government offices, including as members of parliament, as head of the Bank of Latvia, as ambassadors and as members of the National Radio and Television Council.

The legislation is counter to the Latvian government’s recent efforts to work closer with Latvians abroad, Jānis Kukainis, head of the PBLA, said during the annual meeting, according to the LETA news agency.

The federation is known in Latvian as Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienība, or PBLA.

The legislation has been viewed by some critics as an effort by Tautas partija to prevent certain politicians who are dual citizens from getting more power.

Under the Latvian constitution, currently only the president is not allowed to be a dual citizen. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga had to renounce her Canadian citizenship so she could become president in 1999.

If enacted, the ban on dual citizens in high office would take effect July 1, 2005.

A five-year plan to bolster Latvian communities abroad and to provide information about opportunities in the homeland has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in Rīga, the Minister for Special Assignments for Social Integration Affairs has announced.

Already this year the plan foresees spending on several programs to aid the Latvian diaspora, the social integration affairs minister’s office said in a press release. Among projects is a database of Latvian organizations and a handbook for Latvians abroad that would include information about how to repatriate, study in Latvia or gain Latvian citizenship.

“Having been born abroad, I know how difficult it is to maintain ties with Latvia,” Nils Muižnieks, the social integration affairs minister, said in the press release. “Latvia now has developed so far that it can take on a certain amount of responsibility for maintaining Latvian identity outside of Latvia.”

The Cabinet of Ministers gave its approval Oct. 5.

The plan was announced in July after the social integration affairs office had met with diaspora community leaders in the West and in Russia.

The diaspora support program foresees work in five general areas:

• Activities aimed at “preserving and developing ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious identity.” These would include such activities as support for teachers in and clergy visits to Siberia, as well as increased funding for summer schools and camps such as 3×3.
• Developing and serving the information needs of the diaspora. For example, the program calls for aiding mass media in the Latvian diaspora, as well as creation of a unified database of Latvian organizations.
• Fostering links between diaspora communities and the homeland through publication of booklets about the diaspora and convening of a conference on issues facing Latvian society and the diaspora.
• Promoting Latvia’s image abroad by supporting Latvian culture, traditions and art. Activities would include organizing “Latvia Days” in the largest diaspora communities, as well as providing communities with folk costumes.
• Facilitating cooperation between the diaspora and local governments and institutions in Latvia.