Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Government will amend the Education Law in summer
• Russian students at the higher education establishment
• Article about the Armenian Community in Latvia
• 247 projects received by the Integration Foundation
• 80% people choose to indicate their nationality in passports
• Minority youth under bigger risk to get infected with HIV/AIDS
• Newspapers about the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga
• Political party ratings

The Government is planning to amend the Education Law applying Article 81 of the Constitution (right of government to adopt legislation while Parliament is out of session). The new norm will state that as of 1 September 2004 minority secondary schools should have the share of studies in the state language as provided for by legal norms, instead of the existing norm of the Education Law which states that all secondary schools will teach only in the state language as of 2004. Diena

Neatkariga

features an article about the higher education institution – the Baltic Russian Institute -- where students of different nationalities study together. The studies are conducted in two languages – Russian and Latvian. Some of Russians who study at the Institute state that they would prefer to study at Latvian higher education institutions, however, they are afraid that their Latvia language skills would be insufficient.

Neatkariga

talks to the leader of the Armenian Community in Latvia Eduard Sislan. The Community was officially formed in 2000 and its key task is integration of Armenians into Latvian society. Eduard Sislan stresses that the Community has developed very good co-operation ties with Armenian communities in other countries and Latvian political and non-governmental organisations. Armenians live mainly in Riga, where there are about 2,500 Armenians. About 85% of Armenian children go to Latvian schools. According to Eduard Sislan the rate of Latvian citizens among Armenians has grown. He concludes that Armenians do not see any difficulties concerning integration into Latvian society.

The Integration Foundation received 247 project applications for the tender of projects in the field of ethnic integration. Neatkariga

About 80% of people who receive new type of passport prefer to indicate their nationality, although according to the new legal norms this is no longer mandatory. Neatkariga

Yesterday a book presentation on HIV/AIDS infected Russian youth in Estonia and Latvia was made in Riga by the author, who is lecturer of educational psychology and development at St. Patricks College in Dublin. According to the lecturer, integration programmes of both countries Estonia and Latvia may lead to a serious risk of social exclusion among Russian youth in Estonia and Latvia and that their implementation may foster the growth of infection with HIV/AIDS among the Russian youth. However, the lecturer noted that there are some positive aspects in Latvia, such as, cultural and sport events for minority children. Vesti Segodnya

Jauna Avize

interviews the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. When asked about the most difficult moment in these 4 years, the President states that the moment when she discussed the necessity to abolish language requirement for persons running for seats in office from the Election Law was not very pleasant. She realised that the norm contradicted the Constitution and international norms, however, none of the parties supported her.

Vesti Segodnya

publishes an article The Mistake of the President. The newspaper stresses that the President has ignored non-Latvians during her 4 presidency years. The author of the article is not convinced whether the President will correct her mistake in case of her re-election.

No major changes have occurred in political party ratings in June – the most popular party is the New Era, the Peoples Party and FHRUL, followed by the Union of Greens and Farmers, FF/LNNK and Peoples Harmony Party. The Latvian First Party would not get the required 5% of ballots if the Saeima elections were to take place in June. Diena, Vesti Segodnya