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

• Statement of the Minister of Education and Science about act of vandalism
• Article by Dace Kokarevicha about the number of non-citizens working in Latvian schools
• Tatyana Day competition Russian culture in Latvia

Latvijas Avize publishes the statement of the Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis about the vandalism act when the doors of the Ministry of Education and Science were put on fire, allegedly in a protest against the education reform. Karlis Sadurskis states that this vandalism act shows the existence of the political extremism in Latvia. According to the Minister such organizations as the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools and the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Schools are motivating minority representatives to join destructive actions. He is also blaming some Members of Parliament and Riga City council deputies -- J. Pliner, V. Buzajev, N. Kabanov, A. Gilman and others -- for supporting such activities. Mr Sadurskis stresses that he has always appealed for a dialogue on the implementation of the education reform and claims that now all his efforts are once more ridiculised. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Rigas balss, Vechernaya Riga, Telegraf, Vesti segodnya, Neatkariga rita avize

Lauku Avize features an article by Dace Kokarevicha about the number of non-citizens working in Latvian schools. According to the information provided by the Ministry of Education and Science 3000 of 33 000 teachers working in Latvia do not have Latvian citizenship while 2% of school directors are non-citizens. Referring to Peteris Tabuns and Inese Vaidere, MPs from For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK, the author stresses that the party will continue to demand that non-citizens not have the right to work as teachers or school directors. The author also points to an opinion poll in which 65% of 800 teachers who are non-citizens stated that they are willing to acquire Latvian citizenship, but approximately half of them believe that they should have the right to obtain the citizenship automatically. Dace Kokarevicha voices concern over the fact despite the obligation of all teachers to have third-level language proficiency certificates, 11 from 100 teachers non-citizens admit that they can say only a few sentences in Latvian. She agrees that school directors could reasonably be asked to meet civil servant requirements, one of which is Latvian citizenship. She stresses that there should be state budget allocations in order to ensure the meeting of these requirements.

Pupils and students from around 40 education institutions participated in the Tatyana Day competition “Russian culture in Latvia.”

Pupils and students from around 40 education institutions participated in the Tatyana Day competition Russian culture in Latvia. Vesti segodnya, Chas