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.

Press Review

The first congress of the Political Union of the Destitute was held last Saturday. The Union opposes the "Latvijas Cels" policies. The program of the Union lays a special emphasis on the development of agriculture and medium-size businesses, and on social guarantees for pensioners and disabled persons. The Union was established on August 29 this year.

The first congress of the Political Union of the Destitute was held last Saturday. The Union opposes the "Latvijas Cels" policies. The program of the Union lays a special emphasis on the development of agriculture and medium-size businesses, and on social guarantees for pensioners and disabled persons. The Union was established on August 29 this year. Diena, Neatkariga Cina

Mr.Laimonis Kops, the head of a construction company and the owner of land at the Skrunda radar site addressed President Ulmanis with an open letter. Mr.Kops suggests that the Skrunda facility should be dismantled and not demolished. He claims that the value of construction materials obtained by dismantling the buildings could be several million lats.

Mr.Laimonis Kops, the head of a construction company and the owner of land at the Skrunda radar site addressed President Ulmanis with an open letter. Mr.Kops suggests that the Skrunda facility should be dismantled and not demolished. He claims that the value of construction materials obtained by dismantling the buildings could be several million lats. Diena

Russian parliamentary delegation headed by Mr.Sergey Baburin had meetings with the "Ravnopraviye" faction members, journalists, and public. Mr.Baburin's political group "Russky Put" ("Russian Way") is in opposition to Yeltsin's government. Mr.Baburin criticized the Citizenship Law. He also spoke in favor of introducing a more strict visa regime on the Russian border and added that he would not like Russia having an open border with an "apartheid state". He refused to recognize the agreement between Latvia and Russia of January 12, 1991. Sergey Baburin promised that Russia would use all possible political and economical means to force Latvia to respect the rights of its Russian-speaking population. During a press-conference he referred to Minister for Foreign Affairs Koziryev as the greatest disaster for Russia's foreign policies.

Russian parliamentary delegation headed by Mr.Sergey Baburin had meetings with the "Ravnopraviye" faction members, journalists, and public. Mr.Baburin's political group "Russky Put" ("Russian Way") is in opposition to Yeltsin's government. Mr.Baburin criticized the Citizenship Law. He also spoke in favor of introducing a more strict visa regime on the Russian border and added that he would not like Russia having an open border with an "apartheid state". He refused to recognize the agreement between Latvia and Russia of January 12, 1991. Sergey Baburin promised that Russia would use all possible political and economical means to force Latvia to respect the rights of its Russian-speaking population. During a press-conference he referred to Minister for Foreign Affairs Koziryev as the greatest disaster for Russia's foreign policies. Diena, Neatkariga Riga City Council deputy Juris Dobelis will negotiate with Riga racket bosses in order to make the situation in the city safer. That was also confirmed by Procurator General Janis Skrastins. Diena

In their interview for

In their interview for "LABRIT" Mr. Indulis Berzins (Deputy Chairman of the LNNK faction), Mr.Aleksandrs Kirsteins (Head of the Saeima Commission for Foreign Affairs), and Mr.Juris Sinka (spokesman for the Foreign affairs Department of the LNNK Secretariat) stressed the necessity of an international recognition of the fact of Latvia's occupation. According to Mr.Kirsteins the LNNK and "Tevzemei un Brivibai" voting against the ratification was a form of protest against the "low quality of the agreements". He also objects against providing of social guarantees to pensioned Russian army servicemen. He stressed the importance of Latvia's admission to the Council of Europe in February but not in May as it had been suggested previously. In his opinion it showed that Europe was aware of the fact that "Latvia was not liberated in the spring of 1995." Labrit