Although the number of children born in Latvia last year reached a seven-year high, initial data suggest that the birth rate this year will be flat or may decline slightly, the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia announced Oct. 22.

A total of 21,006 live births were recorded in Latvia last year, the bureau said in a press release. In 1995, a total of 21,595 live births were recorded.

In the first nine months of this year, the bureau said, a total of 15,800 children have been born. In several regions, including Rīga, it looks as if the number of births will exceed last year’s, but overall the country may not see an increase.

Overall in 2003, boys represented 51.6 percent of newborns, which the statistics bureau said is typical. Given that mortality is higher among boys than girls, the balance between males and females levels off and, by age 32, the number of women exceeds the number of men in Latvia. However, in the regions of Jelgava, Rēzekna, Daugavpils, Saldus and Valmiera, more girls than boys were born last year.

The bureau noted that Latvia’s birth rate of 1.29 children per each woman remains one of the lowest in Europe and is below the accepted level of 2.1-2.2 needed to maintain the population. However, the nation’s birth rate has risen since slipping to 1.11 in 1998.

Of all live births recorded last year, 64.4 percent were listed as ethnic Latvians, the bureau said.

In a little-publicized appointment, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created a new diplomatic post to work with Latvian diaspora communities. Juris Audariņš, who was serving as the consul general in St. Petersburg, Russia, was named to the post Oct. 6.

Still without an office or a staff, Audariņš told Latvians Online on Oct. 22 by telephone from Rīga that his responsibility will be to work on political questions related to the diaspora, as well as to work with the diaspora to promote issues of importance to Latvia.

He began working in the foreign ministry in 1992, Audariņš said.

Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks told the World Federation of Free Latvians about the appointment during the organization’s annual meeting in Rīga earlier this month, according to the LETA news service. The announcement came a day after the Cabinet of Ministers on Oct. 5 approved a new program to support cultural maintenance of and repatriation from the diaspora.

The practical work of the diaspora support program will be coordinated through the Secretariat of the Minister for Special Asignments for Society Integration Affairs, Audariņš said. But his work will focus on political questions, he said.

Without a doubt, Audariņš explained, Latvians in the diaspora helped earn their homeland’s membership in the European Union and in the NATO defense alliance. Now, for example, they could continue working on the political front by helping to explain Latvia’s situation today.

Given his experience in St. Petersburg, Audariņš said, he expects one area of interest for him would be working with Latvians in Russia.

The appointment of a diplomat to the diaspora has drawn criticism from at least one corner. Writing in the Russian-language daily Vesti Segodnya, according to a translation posted on the Dialogi.lv Web site, one commentator questioned the wisdom of shifting Audariņš’ responsibility from a city of several million to serve the interests of a couple of hundred thousand Latvians abroad.

Audariņš said he will be glad to hear from Latvians abroad about how the foreign ministry can work with them.

Latvia is still seen as the most corrupt of the three Baltic states, while its relative position in a ranking of 146 nations remains unchanged, the Berlin-based Transparency International said in an annual report released Oct. 20.

Latvia placed 57th in the latest Corruption Perception Index survey, equal with Slovakia. However, its score on Transparency International’s 10-point scale improved to 4.0 from last year’s 3.8.

Latvia also is perceived as the second-most corrupt of the 10 new European Union nations, said Delna, the Latvian anti-corruption organization affiliated with Transparency International. Only Poland is seen as more corrupt.

The Corruption Perception Index is based on polls of business people, academics and country analysts. This year it measured how experts view the level of corruption in 146 nations.

Lithuania ranked 44th, alongside Kuwait and South Africa, a drop of three spots from last year’s ranking of 41st. It is the second year in a row that Lithuania fell in the ranking. Its score also slipped to 4.6 from last year’s 4.7.

Estonia climbed to 31st, equal with Botswana and Slovenia, after falling to 33rd last year. Estonia’s score improved to 6.0 after dropping to 5.5 last year.

Finland once again was perceived as least corrupt, scoring 9 on the 10-point scale. Bangladesh continues to be seen as one of the two most corrupt,  joined in last place this year by Haiti. The United States ranked 17th and Russia ranked 90th.