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

• OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus concerned about the recent tensions around the education reform
• Sweden Foreign Affairs Minister Laila Freivalds and the Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov discuss minority rights in Latvia
• Ministry of Education and Science is preparing a society information plan on education reform
• Preparations for the Latvian Legion Commemoration day
• Saeima MP Boris Tsilevich about causes of the negative attitude towards the education reform
• FHRUL representatives participate at the UN thematic discussion
• The Head of Council of Russia Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Mihail Margelov about the situation of Russian-speaking people in Latvia
• Saeima MP Peteris Tabuns requests explanations from the state security institutions about the protest actions against the education reform
• Miroslav Mitrophanov: proposed amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child Law are discriminatory on age grounds
• Interview with the head of the Delegation on the Relations between Riga and Moscow Vladimir Malishkov
• Janis Valdmanis becomes a new director of the Sate Language Agency

According to the information published on official web page of the OSCE, the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE Rolf Ekeus is concerned about the recent tensions in the area of observation of minority rights in Latvia connected with the education reform.

According to the information published on official web page of the OSCE, the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE Rolf Ekeus is concerned about the recent tensions in the area of observation of minority rights in Latvia connected with the education reform. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Observation of minority rights in Latvia was discussed by the Sweden Foreign Affairs Minister Laila Freivalds and the Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov during the visit of the Sweden Minister to Russia. Igor Ivanov has pointed to the large number of non-citizens and violation of Russian-speaking rights in Latvia, and has castigated the EU for application of double standards on Latvia and Estonia in the area of minority rights. Meanwhile Laila Freivalds has stated that the observation of minority rights in Baltic States conforms to the principles established by international organizations including the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

Observation of minority rights in Latvia was discussed by the Sweden Foreign Affairs Minister Laila Freivalds and the Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov during the visit of the Sweden Minister to Russia. Igor Ivanov has pointed to the large number of non-citizens and violation of Russian-speaking rights in Latvia, and has castigated the EU for application of double standards on Latvia and Estonia in the area of minority rights. Meanwhile Laila Freivalds has stated that the observation of minority rights in Baltic States conforms to the principles established by international organizations including the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the OSCE. Diena, Chas

Ministry of Education and Science is preparing a society information plan on the education reform. Public Policy Centre PROVIDUS researcherIndra Dedze believes that this overdue information campaign requires very well defined target audience and subject of discussion. According to the researcher, discussion should not be about the proportion of Latvian and Russian language use in minority schools, but about place of the Russian language, culture and community in the society.

Ministry of Education and Science is preparing a society information plan on the education reform. Public Policy Centre PROVIDUS researcherIndra Dedze believes that this overdue information campaign requires very well defined target audience and subject of discussion. According to the researcher, discussion should not be about the proportion of Latvian and Russian language use in minority schools, but about place of the Russian language, culture and community in the society. Diena

Newspapers inform about events planned for March 16, the Commemoration day for the Latvian Legion. According to the Chairman of the Latvian National Soldiers Society Nikolajs Romanovskis, organization has called people not to participate in organized processions in order to avoid possible provocations.

Newspapers inform about events planned for March 16, the Commemoration day for the Latvian Legion. According to the Chairman of the Latvian National Soldiers Society Nikolajs Romanovskis, organization has called people not to participate in organized processions in order to avoid possible provocations. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Diena features an article by the Saeima MP Boris Tsilevich (Peoples Harmony Party) on the causes of the negative attitude of minorities towards the education reform. The MP points to the lack of dialogue between the state and the ethnic minorities, stressing that concern of the reforms opponents about the deterioration of the quality of minority education is disregarded. According to the Boris Tsilevich, Saeima majority should understand that opponents of the reform are not against the state language and proportion of Latvian and Russian language use in minority schools, but against their opinions and interests being demonstratively ignored.

Vesti Segodnya writes about the participation of the representatives of the union For Human in the United Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka and Miroslavs Mitrofanovs at the thematic discussion on non-citizens and racial discrimination of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Vesti Segodnya

The Head of Council of Russia Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Mihail Margelov has pointed to the increasing disquiet of the European institutions about the situation of Russian-speaking people in Latvia. According to Mihail Margelov, the Council’s of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA) decision to relegate the issue of the education reform of Latvia for examination to the CEPA Committee on Education, Culture and Education proves it.

The Head of Council of Russia Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Mihail Margelov has pointed to the increasing disquiet of the European institutions about the situation of Russian-speaking people in Latvia. According to Mihail Margelov, the Councils of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA) decision to relegate the issue of the education reform of Latvia for examination to the CEPA Committee on Education, Culture and Education proves it. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas

MP of the Saeima For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM parliamentary group Peteris Tabuns has send a letter to the director of the Constitutional Defence Bureau (CDB) Janis Kazocins, Minister of the Interior Maris Gulbis and prosecutor general Janis Maizitis, in which he expresses concern about the protest actions against the education reform. The MP wants to know why actions of the hostile towards Latvian state forces had been permitted. Director of the CDB Janis Kazocins has stated that e monitoring and prevention of the interior threats to the state is within the competence of the State Security Committee, but that the CDB regularly obtains information about the possible foreign countries’ connection with the organization of the protest actions against the education reform in Latvia.

MP of the Saeima For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM parliamentary group Peteris Tabuns has send a letter to the director of the Constitutional Defence Bureau (CDB) Janis Kazocins, Minister of the Interior Maris Gulbis and prosecutor general Janis Maizitis, in which he expresses concern about the protest actions against the education reform. The MP wants to know why actions of the hostile towards Latvian state forces had been permitted. Director of the CDB Janis Kazocins has stated that e monitoring and prevention of the interior threats to the state is within the competence of the State Security Committee, but that the CDB regularly obtains information about the possible foreign countries connection with the organization of the protest actions against the education reform in Latvia. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the consultant of the Saeima parliamentary group For Human in the United Latvia Miroslav Mitrophanov about the proposals of the Saeima Childrens Rights Subcommittee to amend the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child with the goal to preclude the childrens participation in political protest actions. According to Miroslav Mitrophanov, these amendments are discriminatory on age grounds.

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the head of the Delegation on the Relations between Riga and Moscow, the Minister of Moscow Government Vladimir Malishkov, who says that politicians of both Latvia and Russia should close the black pages of the common history and start to think about the future.

Professor of the University of Latvia Janis Valdmanis has become a new director of the Sate Language Agency, which ensures the implementation of the state language policy.

Professor of the University of Latvia Janis Valdmanis has become a new director of the Sate Language Agency, which ensures the implementation of the state language policy. Diena