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

• Criticism towards the Special Task Minster for Societal Integration
• Nils Muiznieks reported the implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
• Interview with the members of the First Party Eriks Jekabsons and Aleksandrs Brandavs

The Prime Minister Einars Repse stated that the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has to improve its work in the nearest future. The New Era Saeima faction informed that the Secretariat is not acting in accordance with the government’s declaration which provides for that the integration in Latvia should be based on the Latvian language and culture. Nils Muznieks replied that the Secretariat is implementing the State Language Law, promoting the dialogue with national minorities and enforcing the status of Latvian language in the education system. The FF/LNNK Saeima faction criticises the Secretariat for not dealing with the social integration issues. Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee (the Union of Greens and Farmers) stated that his party is not satisfied with Nils Muiznieks’ statements during his visit in Moscow, but that the party will not ask Minister’s demission before the referendum about the Latvia’s EU membership.

The Prime Minister Einars Repse stated that the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has to improve its work in the nearest future. The New Era Saeima faction informed that the Secretariat is not acting in accordance with the governments declaration which provides for that the integration in Latvia should be based on the Latvian language and culture. Nils Muznieks replied that the Secretariat is implementing the State Language Law, promoting the dialogue with national minorities and enforcing the status of Latvian language in the education system. The FF/LNNK Saeima faction criticises the Secretariat for not dealing with the social integration issues. Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee (the Union of Greens and Farmers) stated that his party is not satisfied with Nils Muiznieks statements during his visit in Moscow, but that the party will not ask Ministers demission before the referendum about the Latvias EU membership. Diena, Neatkariga, Vechernaya Riga, Chas

During the meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva Nils Muznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration reported about the implementation of the United Nation’s Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Latvia. Meanwhile the Committee received a shadow-report elaborated by the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee informing about the differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens, the education reform that eliminates the rights of national minorities to receive the education in their mother language.

During the meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva Nils Muznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration reported about the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Latvia. Meanwhile the Committee received a shadow-report elaborated by the NGO Latvian Human Rights Committee informing about the differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens, the education reform that eliminates the rights of national minorities to receive the education in their mother language. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the members of the First Party Eriks Jekabsons, the Saeima Vice Speaker and Aleksandrs Brandavs, the advisor of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. They agree that the critics about the work of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration are oriented to destabilise the First Party and create the situation in which the First Party would not be able to work in the government.