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 Report

Press Report

1447 people in Riga have used a possibility to vote before the real election starts, in Balvi 393, Daugavpils Region – 354, Liepaja Region – 284, Venspils Region - 136.

1447 people in Riga have used a possibility to vote before the real election starts, in Balvi 393, Daugavpils Region – 354, Liepaja Region – 284, Venspils Region - 136. Diena

Anita Galica became the 40 000th Latvian citizen through the process on naturalisation. She and 30 more new citizens received the Cabinet of Ministers decrees on granting them citizenship from Prime Minister A.Berzins at the Cabinet of Ministers. In 1995when the naturalisation process started there were 720 000 non-citizens. Last year Latvian citizenship received almost 15 000 people and now there still are about 500 000 non-citizens in Latvia.

Anita Galica became the 40 000th Latvian citizen through the process on naturalisation. She and 30 more new citizens received the Cabinet of Ministers decrees on granting them citizenship from Prime Minister A.Berzins at the Cabinet of Ministers. In 1995when the naturalisation process started there were 720 000 non-citizens. Last year Latvian citizenship received almost 15 000 people and now there still are about 500 000 non-citizens in Latvia. Diena, Neatkariga, Jauna Avize, Latvijas Vestnesis, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Panorama Latvii

The considerable difference in the political parties popularity research ordered by the Russian speaking newspaper Biznes Shans with the one carried out by the social research company SKDS regular researches data make one think that these popularity data results depend on interests of the customer. Biznes Shans contracted company IBS Management to carry out a research on popularity of political parties. Comparing these data with the ones collected by SKDS and which the government was not very eager to reveal, there was a considerable difference. Comparing both data one must conclude that the most growth of popularity is for the parties that orient themselves for the Russian speaking electorate. Seems that publishing of these data is an attempt to influence those voters who have not made their choice yet.

Neatkariga

The Baltic States are afraid that they could become victims of a scheme between Moscow and Washington. German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau voiced a possibility that the USA could receive Yes for their national anti-missiles defence system if the USA refused to accept the Baltic States into NATO. The same opinion expressed Danish Ambassador M.Liketolf during his visit to his American colleague C.Powell. Neatkariga

Latvijas Vestnesis

published an interview with American Ambassador J.Holmes where his speaks about the possibilities for Latvia to join NATO.

Latvian parliament on Thursday decided not to send to the standing committees the draft law on ratification of convention on the protection of national minorities, signed by Latvia in 1995. Leftist forces union For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) parliament faction chairman Janis Jurkans told the parliament rejection of the bill signalled of hypocritical domestic and foreign policy pursued by the ruling coalition.

FHRUL MP Sergejs Dolgopolovs meanwhile told BNS the convention should be ratified to lessen tension in the country and promote society integration. The convention envisages the right for national minorities to acquire secondary education in the state language, retaining minorities secondary schools. BNS, Vesti Segodnya. Chas, Panorama Latvii