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

• Protest meeting against the education reform takes place today
• Prime Minister about the protest meeting
• American Ambassador about the education reform
• Interview with the representative of Russian intelligentsia, journalist Marina Kostenecka
• Latvian Song Festival will feature a parade of minority choirs and dance groups
• Interview with the chairperson of the Latvian Belorussian Association

A part of minority school parents and teachers believe that the protest meeting will result in cancellation of the education reform. If it does not happen until the fall, there would be another, more serious protest activity. However, the Prime Minister Einars Repse assures that the meeting will not change anything in the governments stance towards the education reform. Neither the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis nor the Integration Minister Nils Muiznieks will attend the meeting. Diena

Diena

features an article by Laila Pakalnina about relations between Russians and Latvians in light of the debate concerning the education reform. She notes that Russian and Latvian adults do not have common information space, while todays Russian and Latvian kids make friends with each other and get along very well. She calls on Latvians not to perceive the protest meeting against the implementation of the education reform as representative opinion of all Russians, and not to return to the relationship model of Soviet times: us and them.

Chas

columnist Leonid Fedesoyev writes that it is up to everybody to go or not to go to the protest meeting, however, all who care about non-Latvian schools should go to the meeting. He calls on people to be organised and do not agree to any provocations.

Rigas Balss

suggests to avoid going through or to the Esplanade (the place where the protest meeting will take place) for security reasons.

Chas

provides excerpts from the interview of the Prime Minister Einars Repse with the National Radio. Regarding the protest meeting against the education reform the Prime Minister Einars Repse said it is the last such kind of activity organised by hostile forces as Latvia very soon will be a member of the EU and NATO. He also called on people not to send their children to the meeting. Latvijas Vestnesis

Vesti Segodnya

interviews the American Ambassador Brian Carlson. Regarding the education reform, Ambassador Carlson stresses how important is to know the language of the country where a person lives and notes that parents who want that their children study only in Russian negatively influence their future. The journalist who interviewed Ambassador Carlson turned out to be a non-citizen and the Ambassador expressed interest to participate personally at the journalists naturalisation procedure.

Neatkariga

features an interview with the representative of Russian intelligentsia, journalist Marina Kostenecka. She believes that Latvians consciously make Russians feel lower class people. She has discovered that the majority of soldiers in the Latvian army are Russians because Latvians go to the University rather than serve in the army. Marina Kostenecka is convinced that huge changes have taken place in the field of Latvian learning in last 10 years, but Latvians do not want to see that.

The parade of minority choirs and dance groups will take place this year in the framework of the Latvian Song Festival. It is foreseen that all minorities will be presented in this parade. Neatkariga

Neatkariga

features an interview with the chairperson of the Belorussian Association Svitanek Vyacheslavu Teleshu. He tells about the origins of the Association in Latvia, Belorussian school and problems.