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

• Information on the status of non-citizens after Latvias EU membership
• Heads of four Saeima Committees complain about the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration
• Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request for permission to hold a public meeting on September 4th
• Leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee about the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination expert recommendations for Latvia

In the special column before the EU referendum the newspaper

In the special column before the EU referendum the newspaper Diena provides reply to the question what will happen with non-citizens after Latvias EU membership. The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks explains that non-citizens will not automatically obtain the status of citizens and they will not have the right to vote. According to the EU directive on citizens of third states the non-citizens will have the status of the third state citizens residing in the EU country for a long term. People who reside in a country for five years period, who have legal income and health insurance will obtain the status of permanent resident. Registering as long-term residents these individuals will have the right to free movement, right to work, social insurance and education. To travel within the EU non-citizens will have to obtain visas except for those countries that have signed agreements allowing non-visa regime (currently Estonia, Lithuania and Denmark).

Lauku Avize features comments by Ina Druviete, the Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee, Janis Strazdins, the Head of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee, Inese Vaidere, the Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee and Anta Rugate, the Head of the Saeima Committee on Citizenship Law, who all consider that Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration has not provided replies to their questions about the Secretariats work.

The Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request to the Riga City Council to allow the meeting on September 4th near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis. Taking into account the objections to the first request, which was denied, the Association informed that there will be fewer participants and that organisers will install a fence that will bar the participants from getting close closer than 50 metres to the Prosecutor’s General building.

The Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools resubmitted the request to the Riga City Council to allow the meeting on September 4th near the monument of Latvian poet Janis Rainis. Taking into account the objections to the first request, which was denied, the Association informed that there will be fewer participants and that organisers will install a fence that will bar the participants from getting close closer than 50 metres to the Prosecutors General building. Lauku Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

During a press conference the leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs informed about the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination experts recommendations for Latvia. According to Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs experts recommend to reduce the list of professions that are available only for citizens, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia, and to postpone the education reform.

During a press conference the leaders of the NGO Human Rights Committee Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs informed about the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination experts recommendations for Latvia. According to Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs experts recommend to reduce the list of professions that are available only for citizens, to give the rights to vote in municipal elections for long-term resident non-citizens in Latvia, and to postpone the education reform. Chas, Telegraf