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

• Latvian government requests European Court for Human Rights to dismiss the case of Tatjana Zdanoka on lustration law
• Minister of Education opposes the formation of a Minority Education Department within the Ministry of Education and Science
• Peoples Harmony party requests the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga not to proclaim the amendments to the law defining the status of non-citizens
• Interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Latvia Rihards Piks
• Planned protest actions against the education reform
• Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics discusses the education reform with the ambassador of Russia to Latvia Igor Studennikov
• Interview with writer Marina Kostenecka on education reform

Latvian government has requested European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) to dismiss the case of Tatjana Zdanoka, because the recently adopted Latvian European Parliament election law grants the rights to stand for elections for ex-officials of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia and those individuals who were members of the Communist Party and related organizations after January 13, 1991. Tatjana Zdanoka has applied to the ECHR,  claiming that her voting rights and freedom of speech and association have been violated, when she was deprived of the Riga City Council’s deputy mandate and prohibited to stand as a candidate for Saeima elections on 1997, because of her membership in the Communist Party after January 13, 1991.

Latvian government has requested European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) to dismiss the case of Tatjana Zdanoka, because the recently adopted Latvian European Parliament election law grants the rights to stand for elections for ex-officials of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia and those individuals who were members of the Communist Party and related organizations after January 13, 1991. Tatjana Zdanoka has applied to the ECHR, claiming that her voting rights and freedom of speech and association have been violated, when she was deprived of the Riga City Councils deputy mandate and prohibited to stand as a candidate for Saeima elections on 1997, because of her membership in the Communist Party after January 13, 1991. Diena, Latvijas Avize

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics regards the formation of a Minority Education Department within the Ministry, suggested by the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, as unnecessary, arguing that these issues are already dealt with by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Society Integration, the  Integration Unit within the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education’s Advisory Council.

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics regards the formation of a Minority Education Department within the Ministry, suggested by the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, as unnecessary, arguing that these issues are already dealt with by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Society Integration, the Integration Unit within the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Educations Advisory Council. Diena, Latvijas Avize

The MPs of the Saeima People’s Harmony party parliamentary group have sent a letter to the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, requesting not to announce the amendments to the law “On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State”, which foresee that persons who have obtained a residence permit in another country can be deprived of the non-citizen status of Latvia.

The MPs of the Saeima Peoples Harmony party parliamentary group have sent a letter to the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, requesting not to announce the amendments to the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State, which foresee that persons who have obtained a residence permit in another country can be deprived of the non-citizen status of Latvia. Diena

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Latvia Rihards Piks about society integration and relations between Latvia and Russia. The minister points to the greater necessity of protecting the Latvian language, compared to the Russian language, which is spoken by 140 million people all around the world. The Minister also believes that Russia uses Latvia as an instrument in its dialogue with NATO and the EU.

Headquarters for the Defense of Russian language schools are planning new protest actions against the educations reform – the general strike of minority students on 15 and 16 April and manifestation on 1 May, when Latvia will be joining the EU.  Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics has expressed his regret that the representatives of the Headquarters have not contacted him to start the dialogue yet, and is considering the possibility to initiate a meeting with the leader of the Headquarters Jurijs Petropavlovskis in order to discuss the issue of education reform.

Headquarters for the Defense of Russian language schools are planning new protest actions against the educations reform – the general strike of minority students on 15 and 16 April and manifestation on 1 May, when Latvia will be joining the EU. Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics has expressed his regret that the representatives of the Headquarters have not contacted him to start the dialogue yet, and is considering the possibility to initiate a meeting with the leader of the Headquarters Jurijs Petropavlovskis in order to discuss the issue of education reform. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics has discussed the issue of education reform with the ambassador of Russia to Latvia Igor Studennikov. The minister has stated that a moratorium on the education reform is not possible.

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics has discussed the issue of education reform with the ambassador of Russia to Latvia Igor Studennikov. The minister has stated that a moratorium on the education reform is not possible. Diena, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the well-known journalist and writer Marina Kostenecka, who points to several mistakes in the area of implementation of the education reform. The writer believes that one of the biggest problems is the scarcity of teachers ready to teach in Latvian, stressing that the successful implementation of the reform is possible only if the new teachers capable to teach in Latvian are prepared. According to Marina Kostenecka, it is necessary to evaluate the possibilities of each minority school to implement the education reform, but not to withdraw the reform itself, because then the further requirements for Russian as the second state language and for granting citizenship automatically will emerge.