Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending regulations of: 14 January 2020 [shall come into force from 17 January 2020]. If a whole or part of a paragraph has been amended, the date of the amending regulation appears in square brackets at the end of the paragraph. If a whole paragraph or sub-paragraph has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted paragraph or sub-paragraph.

Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 870 Adopted 24 October 2006

Procedures for the Accreditation of Mass Media Journalists and Other Representatives at the Accreditation Authority

Issued pursuant to
Section 26, Paragraph three of the law
On the Press and Other Mass Media

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes the types of accreditation of the Latvian and foreign mass media journalists and other representatives and the periods for which such accreditation is granted, and also the procedures for accreditation and the cases where accreditation may be refused, suspended, or cancelled.

[14 January 2020]

2. The permanent representatives of foreign mass media shall be accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation.

II. Types and Periods of Accreditation

3. There are the following types of accreditation of the Latvian and foreign mass media journalists and other representatives (hereinafter - the representative):

3.1. permanent accreditation by issuing accreditation cards for the period from 1 January until 31 December;

3.2. temporary accreditation (up to three months) by issuing accreditation cards to the representatives without any permanent accreditation at the accreditation authority and who require accreditation for a certain period of time while preparing materials related to the accreditation authority;

3.3. one-day accreditation (for one day) by issuing accreditation cards to the representatives without any permanent accreditation at the accreditation authority and who have not been granted temporary or special accreditation;

3.4. special accreditation by issuing an accreditation card where specific visits, formal sittings, and other formal events are indicated.

III. Procedures for Accreditation

4. The accreditation authority shall take the decision on accreditation of the representatives on the basis of a written submission by the head of the relevant mass medium, stating the necessity for such accreditation.

5. The representative shall submit the following at the accreditation authority in order to receive accreditation:

5.1. completed and signed accreditation form for the representatives of the mass media of the Republic of Latvia (Annex 1) or accreditation form for the permanent representatives of foreign mass media (Annex 2);

5.2. two photographs (size 35 x 25 mm) or a digitised photograph.

6. In addition to the documents referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2 of this Regulation, foreign representatives shall submit the following:

6.1. a letter of the head of the mass medium which includes the following:

6.1.1. a brief description of the mass medium;

6.1.2. the request to accredit the specific representative;

6.1.3. if necessary, the request to issue a service visa to the representative;

6.2. a copy of the press card of the representative;

6.3. a copy of the passport of the representative;

6.4. a resume (curriculum vitae);

6.5. descriptions of the creative work of the representative or copies of articles of the last year of work;

6.6. the programme of the intended stay or brief description of the purpose of arrival.

7. [14 January 2020]

8. The accreditation card shall be issued to the accredited representatives. The accreditation card shall include:

8.1. the given name, surname of the person;

8.2. the position;

8.3. the name of the represented mass medium;

8.4. the number of the accreditation card;

8.5. the term of validity of the accreditation card;

8.6. a photograph;

8.7. the given name, surname, and signature of the head of the accreditation authority or the official responsible for cooperation with mass media;

8.8. the stamp and hologram of the accreditation authority;

8.9. other information which the accreditation authority considers as necessary to be indicated to ensure the identification of the accredited representative and the accreditation authority.

8.¹ If the term of validity of the accreditation card has expired or accreditation has been suspended or cancelled, the representative shall hand the accreditation card over to the accreditation authority or the diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia.

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9. The representative may submit the documents referred to in Paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 of this Regulation either by appearing at the accreditation authority in person or by sending the documents by post.

10. Foreign representatives may submit the documents referred to in Paragraphs 5 and 6 of this Regulation either by appearing at the accreditation authority in person, by sending the documents to the accreditation authority by post, or by appearing at the diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in foreign states in person.

11. The diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in foreign states shall send the documents referred to in Paragraph 10 of this Regulation to the accreditation authority.

12. The decision on the accreditation of the representative shall be notified in accordance with the procedures and within time period laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law.

13. The representative may receive the accreditation card by appearing at the accreditation authority in person and by presenting a personal identification document.

14. A foreign representative may receive the accreditation card by appearing at the accreditation authority in person and by presenting a personal identification document or on the basis of a written request by the representative - at the diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in foreign states where the accreditation card is handed over to the representative in person upon presenting a personal identification document.

15. The head of the relevant mass medium has the obligation to inform the accreditation authority within seven days of the termination of the legal relationship on the basis of which the representative, to whom the specific accreditation card has been issued, fulfilled the relevant duties.

16. The representative has the obligation to hand over the accreditation card to the accreditation authority or the diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Latvia within seven days if the legal relationship, on the basis of which the representative fulfilled the relevant duties at the mass medium which had applied his or her accreditation, is terminated.

IV. Refusal, Suspension, or Cancellation of Accreditation

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17. The accreditation authority may refuse accreditation if:

17.1. the documents referred to in Paragraph 4, 5, or 6 of this Regulation have not been submitted at the accreditation authority or they have been filled in incompletely;

17.2. false information which is relevant for taking the decision on accreditation has been provided in the documents referred to in Paragraph 4, 5, or 6 of this Regulation;

17.3. within a year before taking the decision on accreditation by the accreditation authority, the representative has used the accreditation for the purposes not related to the activity of the mass medium represented by him or her;

17.4. within a year before taking the decision on accreditation by the accreditation authority, the representative has committed a gross violation of the norms of professional ethics;

17.5. the competent authority has informed the accreditation authority of significant risks in relation to ensuring the protection (security guard) of public officials, employees and visitors of an institution, delegates of foreign or international organisations or authorities which are posed by the accreditation of the representative;

17.6. the activity of the mass medium has been suspended or terminated;

17.7. the National Electronic Mass Media Council or another competent authority has established and informed the accreditation authority of the fact that the mass medium or the representative:

17.7.1. invites to turn against the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Latvia;

17.7.2. expresses or disseminates proposals on the violent amendment of the State structure of Latvia;

17.7.3. propagates violence or terrorism, outright Nazism, fascism, or communism ideology, popularises war;

17.7.4. commits acts directed towards triggering national, ethnic, racial, religious hatred, or enmity;

17.7.5. praises or encourages the committing of criminal offences;

17.8. the representative is accused of or punished for any of the criminal offences referred to in Chapter IX, IX.¹, or X of the Criminal Law which are related to the professional activity of the representative;

17.9. the competent authority has established and provided information to the accreditation authority that the acts of the representative pose other threats to national security and defence.

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18. The accreditation authority may suspend or cancel accreditation if:

18.1. false information which is relevant for taking the decision on accreditation has been provided in the documents referred to in Paragraph 4, 5, or 6 of this Regulation;

18.2. the representative is using accreditation for purposes not related to the activity of the mass medium represented by him or her;

18.3. during accreditation the representative has committed a gross violation of the norms of professional ethics;

18.4. the activity of the representative or the relevant mass medium is not related to journalism;

18.5. the representative significantly violates the internal procedure regulations of the accreditation authority;

18.6. the competent authority has informed the accreditation authority of significant risks in relation to ensuring the protection (security guard) of public officials, employees, and visitors of an institution, delegates of foreign or international organisations or authorities which are posed by the accreditation of the representative;

18.7. the representative fails to comply with or interferes with taking the necessary safety measures at the accreditation authority;

18.8. the activity of the mass media has been suspended or terminated;

18.9. the National Electronic Mass Media Council or another competent authority has established and informed the accreditation authority of the fact that the mass medium or the representative:

18.9.1. invites to turn against the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Latvia;

18.9.2. expresses or disseminates proposals on the violent amendment of the State structure of Latvia;

18.9.3. propagates violence or terrorism, outright Nazism, fascism, or communism ideology, popularises war;

18.9.4. commits acts directed towards triggering national, ethnic, racial, religious hatred, or enmity;

18.9.5. praises or encourages the committing of criminal offences;

18.10. the representative is accused of or punished for any of the criminal offences referred to in Chapter IX, IX.¹, or X of the Criminal Law which are related to the professional activity of the representative;

18.11. the competent authority has established and provided information to the accreditation authority that the acts of the representative pose other threats to national security and defence.

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18.¹ The accreditation authority shall cancel accreditation if:

18.¹ 1. the request to cancel the accreditation of the representative has been received from the head of the mass medium or from the representative;

18.¹ 2. the representative has terminated the legal relationship on the basis of which he or she fulfilled the relevant duties at the mass medium which had requested the accreditation of the representative and has not submitted the documents referred to in Paragraph 4, 5, or 6 of this Regulation to receive the new accreditation;

18.¹ 3. the accreditation authority establishes that the representative has handed over his or her accreditation card for use to another person.

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18.² In addition to the provisions referred to in Paragraphs 17, 18, and 18.¹ of this Regulation, if accreditation of the representative has already been refused, suspended, or cancelled in any European Union Member State or any country of the European Economic Area due to the violations referred to in this Chapter and such prohibition is effective, the accreditation authority in cooperation with the competent authority of Latvia or the relevant foreign country is entitled to clarify whether the same violations can be established in the acts of the representative in Latvia. If such violations are established, the accreditation authority may take the decision on refusal, suspension, or cancellation of the accreditation of the specific representative.

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V. Closing Provision

19. Accreditation cards which have been issued until the day of coming into force of this Regulation shall be valid until the expiry of the term of validity specified therein, but not longer than until 31 December 2006.

Acting for the Prime Minister -
Minister for Defence A. Slakteris

Minister for Foreign Affairs A. Pabriks

 

Annex 1
Cabinet Regulation No. 870
24 October 2006

[14 January 2020]

Accreditation Form

1. Given name 2. Surname 3. Personal identity number       -

Photograph

4. Name of the mass medium

5. Position

6. Address of the mass medium

7. Telephone

8. Mobile telephone

9. E-mail

10. Date

11. Signature

 

Annex 2
Cabinet Regulation No. 870
24 October 2006

[14 January 2020]

1. Uzvārds/ Surname										Fotogrāfija/ Photograph
2. Vārds/ First name (names)
3. Dzimšanas datums (diena, mēnesis, gads)/ Date of birth (day, month, year)				4. Dzimšanas vieta un valsts/ Place of birth
5. Pilsonība/Nationality				6. Dzimums/Sex vīrietis/man sieviete/woman						DIENESTA ATZĪMES/ SERVICE NOTES Akreditācija/ Accreditation sākotnējā/ initial atkārtotā/ repeated Pieņemtais lēmums/ Decision taken akreditēt/ to accredit atteikt akreditāciju/ to deny accreditation apturēt akreditāciju/to suspend accreditation atzīt akreditācijas lēmumu par spēkā neesošu/ to declare the accreditation decision null and void Pieņemtā lēmuma datums/ Date of decision _____________ Akreditācijas kartes Nr./ Accreditation card No. _____________ Akreditācijas kartes derīguma termiņš/ Accreditation card validity period _____________ Amatpersona/ Official _____________
7. Pases numurs/Passport No.				8. Izdevējiestāde/Authority
9. Izsniegšanas datums/ Date of issue				10. Derīguma termiņš/ Date of expiration
11. Izsniegt akreditāciju no/To grant accreditation from _______________________līdz/till _________________
12. Masu informācijas līdzekļa nosaukums/Name of media _______________________
ziņu aģentūra/ news agency laikraksts/ newspaper  žurnāls/ magazine	televīzija/ television radio/radio foto aģentūra/ photo agency				žurnālists/ journalist operators/ cameraman tehniskais darbinieks/ technical staff				fotogrāfs/ photographer _________ _________
13. Masu informācijas līdzekļa adrese, tālrunis, e-pasts, tīmekļvietne/ Address, telephone, e-mail and website of media
14. Valsts, ko pārstāvat/ Country that you represent
Lietuva/ Lithuania		Igaunija/ Estonia					_________
15. Specializācija/Specialization
politika/ politics ekonomika/ economy			sociālie jautājumi/ social issues zinātne/ science			kultūra/ culture sports/ sport		_________ _________
16. Vai piekrītat vārda, uzvārda, masu informācijas līdzekļa nosaukuma, kuru pārstāvat, un e-pasta adreses publicēšanai Latvijas Republikas Ārlietu ministrijas mājas lapā?/ Do you agree that your first name, family name, the name of the media that you represent, and the e-mail are published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia?
Jā/Yes					Nē/No
17. Esmu informēts, ka personas dati, kas iekļauti šajā akreditācijas anketā, tiks ievadīti un glabāti Latvijas Republikas Ārlietu ministrijas akreditēto pārstāvju datu bāzē. Šie dati var būt pieejami Latvijas Republikas kompetentajām iestādēm/ I am informed that personal data that are included in the present accreditation form, shall be entered and stored in the data base of representatives accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. These data may be accessible for relevant authorities of the Republic of Latvia
18. Adrese un tālrunis Latvijā/ Address and phone number in Latvia					19. E-pasts/E-mail
20. Dokumenta iesniegšanas datums (diena, mēnesis, gads)/ Date of submission of the document (day, month, year)					21. Paraksts/Signature

Minister for Foreign Affairs A. Pabriks

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Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)