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.

• Riga Vice-Mayor Sergey Dolgopolov excluded from the Peoples Harmony Party
• Meeting of President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga and the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks
• Russian Upper House representative Mihail Margelov on Latvian-Russian relations
• New Era calls on Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Slesers to account for his statements
• Call for the establishment of regional committees for minority education
• Interview with a head of National Program for Latvian Language Training Aija Priedite

Yesterday People’s Harmony Party council decided to exclude Sergey Dolgopolov from the party for breech of party charter and discipline. According to the head of People’s Harmony Party Janis Jurkans, the removal of Sergey Dolgopolov from the post of Riga Vice-Mayor is not currently under consideration.

Yesterday Peoples Harmony Party council decided to exclude Sergey Dolgopolov from the party for breech of party charter and discipline. According to the head of Peoples Harmony Party Janis Jurkans, the removal of Sergey Dolgopolov from the post of Riga Vice-Mayor is not currently under consideration. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf, Vechernaya Riga

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks met with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga yesterday to discuss the work of the Special Task Minister’s Secretariat, the naturalization process and the minority education reform. The President of Latvia has voiced a readiness to promote the naturalization process by calling on non-citizens to naturalize.

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks met with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga yesterday to discuss the work of the Special Task Ministers Secretariat, the naturalization process and the minority education reform. The President of Latvia has voiced a readiness to promote the naturalization process by calling on non-citizens to naturalize. Latvijas Avize, Chas

During the visit of a Russian Parliament Upper House delegation to Latvia, the head of the Council of Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Mihail Margelov stated that relations between Russia and Latvia will likely improve after Latvia’s accession to the EU. The head of delegation has not yet expressed his attitude towards the observation of minority rights, motivating his position with the desire to get better acquainted with the real situation.

During the visit of a Russian Parliament Upper House delegation to Latvia, the head of the Council of Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Mihail Margelov stated that relations between Russia and Latvia will likely improve after Latvias accession to the EU. The head of delegation has not yet expressed his attitude towards the observation of minority rights, motivating his position with the desire to get better acquainted with the real situation. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

The party New Era calls on Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Slesers to explain his statement about the desirability of taking the leader of Russia Liberal Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky off the list of persons not allowed entry into Latvia.

The party New Era calls on Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Slesers to explain his statement about the desirability of taking the leader of Russia Liberal Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky off the list of persons not allowed entry into Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Chas features an article of Jakov Pliner, the head of the For Human Rights in United Latvia parliamentary group and Valery Buhvalov, about the 2004 education reform, in which they call on the parents of minority schools students to establish regional committees for the protection of minority schools, whose aim would be to discuss the education reform with representatives of local governments. In the future these committees should unite in order to negotiate with the Saeima and MPs of European Parliament, in the view of the authors.

Latvijas Avize features an interview with a head of National Program for Latvian Language Training Aija Priedite about the societal integration process in Latvia. Ms Priedite stresses that only formal naturalization and integration could be dangerous and that it is necessary to develop an environment in which newly naturalized people feel as part of the whole society.