A new weekly magazine, Republika.lv, is set to debut Feb. 17 and promises to cover Latvian current affairs in society, politics, the economy, culture and sports.

The magazine, with an initial press run of 25,000, will have 48 pages and is to include original poetry and prose, photojournalism, and interviews with international and Latvian public figures, Editor Laura Krastiņa said in a Feb. 14 press release.

Publisher of the magazine will be SIA Žurnāls, which is controlled by businessman Viesturs Koziols, known in Latvia as a real estate investor and president of the hockey club Rīga 2000. Koziols wanted to create the publication because, according to the press release, Latvia lacks a quality weekly magazine for socially and economically active residents.

The magazine will have an advisory board whose members are to include well-known experts such as sociologist Ābrams Kleckins of the University of Latvia, businessman Gundars Margēvičs of the automobile sales company Aura Auta, journalist Pauls Timrots and public relations specialist Kristians Rozenvalds.

A Web site, www.republika.lv is scheduled to also open on Feb. 17, Krastiņa told Latvians Online. The site will allow readers to subscribe to the publication as well as to learn about the magazine’s contents.