Integration monitor

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.

Dec. 15, 2014

  • Newspapers report about a congress of a political party National Union
  • Report on Development of Young Guards stresses Young Guards as a tool for consolidation of the society

Newspapers report about a congress of a political party National Union (NU). One of the party’s leaders Raivis Dzintars stated that the aim of the party is to make the state ethnically Latvian and fair. This aim can be achieved only when the NU becomes the most popular party in Latvia and receives at least 30 -35 mandates in the Parliament, said R. Dzintars. He also stressed that the NU supports traditional family values and criticized the fact that coming out with the statement about belonging to non-traditional sexual orientation is considered as bravery, while honouring of Latvian (Waffen SS) legionnaires on 16 March is condemned. Other leader of the party and Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece stressed the necessity to strengthen Latvia’s security. These could be achieved by special legal provisions, which, for instance, would allow banning organisations engaged in activities incompatible with the aims of the state’s existence. As measures to counter Russia’s propaganda in Latvia, I. Murniece proposed to forbid the local TV operators to place advertisement in re-broadcasted Russia’s channels and to force the operators to include in the cheapest TV package only local and EU channels, but Russia’s channels in the more expensive package. Member of the party, MP Edvins Snore stated that there is no sense to strengthen Latvian defence if among its residents there is a large community who he alleges would “shoot in the back” of Latvian defenders in case of a conflict. A. Snore believes that all the previous attempts to integrate this community have failed and, therefore, there are only two choices left – whether to give up and to form two-community state or to help the residents disloyal towards the state to be repatriated to their ethnic motherland.  Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena

The government has approved the Report on Development of Young Guards for 2014-2024. Consolidation of the society is stressed as one of the Young Guards’ main functions. The MP and military expert Karlis Kreslins says that different patriotic activities and discovering history are shaping the state consciousness of the young people.  According to a director of the Recruitment and Young Guards Centre, the organisation is highly popular also in Latgale  - region densely populated by ethnic minorities. Latvijas Avize

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