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

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

The left wing union FHRUL held its party conference on Saturday. The union hopes to get at least 20% seats in the 8th Saeima and participate in forming the next government. The conference adopted a programme which declares that it stands for granting Latvian citizenship to all non-citizens who have expressed such a wish, Russian should have the status of an official language in those municipalities where the share of Russian-speaking residents exceeds 20% and non-citizens should be granted the right to participate in municipal elections. The programme does not mention Latvia’s potential membership in NATO. However, the Union is not against this foreign policy goal, but disagrees with the amount to be allotted for security purposes from the state budget.

The left wing union FHRUL held its party conference on Saturday. The union hopes to get at least 20% seats in the 8th Saeima and participate in forming the next government. The conference adopted a programme which declares that it stands for granting Latvian citizenship to all non-citizens who have expressed such a wish, Russian should have the status of an official language in those municipalities where the share of Russian-speaking residents exceeds 20% and non-citizens should be granted the right to participate in municipal elections. The programme does not mention Latvias potential membership in NATO. However, the Union is not against this foreign policy goal, but disagrees with the amount to be allotted for security purposes from the state budget. Diena, Neatkariga, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnja, Panorama Latvii

Head of the Committee of International Affairs of the Russian State Duma Dmitry Rogozin attended the FHRUL’s conference in Riga on Saturday.

Head of the Committee of International Affairs of the Russian State Duma Dmitry Rogozin attended the FHRULs conference in Riga on Saturday. Chas, Telegraf

Vesti Segodnja and

Vesti Segodnja and Panorama Latvii publish an interview with Dmitry Rogozin. He states that the closure of the OSCE Mission to Latvia was a stupidity and will discuss this issue with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus on June 17.

Diena publishes an article by political scientist Artis Pabriks about the existing interpretations and attitudes towards June 17, 1940 – the date when the Soviet Union occupied Latvia. He argues that when discussing this event there are two communities in Latvia – Latvians believe that Latvia was occupied, while a majority of Russians would say that the fact should not be interpreted so superficially and that it was Latvia’s own decision to join the USSR. Artis Pabriks believes that neither language nor citizenship, but political legitimacy divides Latvians and Russians in Latvia. Artis Pabriks is convinced that international institutions and politicians from Europe, the USA and, of course, Russia could be of great support in eliminating the alienation between two communities. However, he admits that this potential has not been exploited to the full extent. Pabriks concludes that Latvian citizens and non-citizens should come to an agreement – non-citizens should naturalise and Latvians should “give a hand to them.”

Diena publishes an article by political scientist Artis Pabriks about the existing interpretations and attitudes towards June 17, 1940 – the date when the Soviet Union occupied Latvia. He argues that when discussing this event there are two communities in Latvia – Latvians believe that Latvia was occupied, while a majority of Russians would say that the fact should not be interpreted so superficially and that it was Latvias own decision to join the USSR. Artis Pabriks believes that neither language nor citizenship, but political legitimacy divides Latvians and Russians in Latvia. Artis Pabriks is convinced that international institutions and politicians from Europe, the USA and, of course, Russia could be of great support in eliminating the alienation between two communities. However, he admits that this potential has not been exploited to the full extent. Pabriks concludes that Latvian citizens and non-citizens should come to an agreement – non-citizens should naturalise and Latvians should give a hand to them.

Neatkarigas

columnist Viktors Avotins comments critically on the policy of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The columnist states that the Ministry represents only the policies and views of the governing parties and not a synthesis of the views of all political parties represented in the 8th Saeima. columnist Viktors Avotins comments critically on the policy of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The columnist states that the Ministry represents only the policies and views of the governing parties and not a synthesis of the views of all political parties represented in the 8th Saeima.

Panorama Latvii

reports that the Russian newspapers and the Embassy of the Russian Federation received a threat letter which states that no Russian organisation is safe on June 17. reports that the Russian newspapers and the Embassy of the Russian Federation received a threat letter which states that “no Russian organisation is safe on June 17.”