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.

Press Report

Press Report

Yesterday the

Yesterday the Saeima replaced its Deputy-Secretary Janina Kusnere ("Latvijai") by Maris Rudzitis ("Tautai un Taisnibai"). The reason for relieving Kusnere of her duties was the use of a Saeima car for private trips. Mrs. Kusnere has spent twenty thousand Lats from the Saeima budget on transportation this year. Diena The Ministry of the Interior demands amending the Law on State Secrets. The Law coming into force on January 1, 1997, bans non-citizens from accessing classified information. The Ministry suggests lifting the ban until 2003, giving non-citizens time to receive citizenship through naturalization. The Law will force non-citizens working as detectives and police officers to leave the force. The Ministry of the Interior also objects against a draft form to be filled out by those applying for access to confidential information. The form, among other questions, requires characterizing an applicants colleagues and bosses. Secretary of the National Security Committee Gundars Zalkalns believes that the restrictions should not be canceled. The only compromise that he could agree to is allowing non-citizens' access to confidential information for six months giving the Ministry time to replace them by citizens. Diena

A "DIENA" correspondent in Moscow believes that Russia is trying to block Baltic membership in European Union and NATO by the Baltic states. Estonia has renounced all territorial claims toward Russia while Latvia is likely to act in a similar way. The author of the article expects that Russia will deliberately defer border delimitation talks with the two countries and put forward new demands connected mainly with the rights of Russian-speakers. Diena

Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Secretary Jan Eliasson in an interview for

Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Secretary Jan Eliasson in an interview for "NEATKARIGA" said that security of the Baltic states is among the priorities of the Swedish foreign policy. While touching upon human rights in Latvia, Mr. Eliasson admitted there was a problem of the Russia-speaking minority. The situation had been considered in the "context of the OSCE requirements" and accepted by the international community, said Eliasson. He added that the minority problem was often exaggerated "outside Latvia." Neatkariga