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
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Planned protest actions against the education reform
• Latvijas Avize publishes an article about minority definition
• Vechernaya Riga publishes an interview with the Russian Ambassador Igor Studennikov

If the President of Latvia announces the amendments to the Education law, protest actions will be organized around the 1st of May, which is an official day of Latvia’s accession to the European Union, promise Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-Language Schools.

If the President of Latvia announces the amendments to the Education law, protest actions will be organized around the 1st of May, which is an official day of Latvias accession to the European Union, promise Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-Language Schools. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf, Neatkariga, Vechernaya Riga

Latvijas Avize publishes an article about minority definition. Journalist Inara Murniece points out that minority definition is not included in Latvian legislation. She stresses that UN Declaration on the Rights of persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities does not include a minority definition, and is quoting minority definition that is included within the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The author informs about four different minority definitions elaborated by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Society Integration. This article includes two different opinions of Ineta Ziemele, international and human rights expert of Riga Graduate School of Law and Ina Druviete, Head of the Saeimas Human Rights and Social affairs committee. Ineta Ziemele says that Russian-speaking population living in Latvia is not a real minority, and that if we are talking about the minority rights protection, it is important to help Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Jews ant others to really regain their ethnic identity. Ina Druviete believes that from the socio-linguistic point of view it is possible to talk about the Russian-speaking minority in Latvia, but although definition of minority status is an important ideological and political issue, it has little practical importance.

Vechernaya Riga publishes an interview with Russian Ambassador Igor Studennikov. Asked about the best model for integration of Russian speakers into Latvian society, Ambassador Studennikov stresses that the best way is the one acceptable to the people themselves. His advice for those individuals who decided to stay in Latvia is to obtain the Latvian citizenship. Regarding the visa requirements introduced by the Russian government for the non-citizens of Latvia, he explains that this decision was a response to the Latvian governments decision to introduce the visa regime with Russia. As for the Russias attitude towards the education issues, Ambassador points out that Russian government is funding training of the Russian language teachers in Russia, participation of Latvian children in various competitions in Russia, and supply of textbooks. According to the Ambassador, right now the next shipment of textbooks in Russian to Latvian schools is being planned.