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.

• Newspapers continue discussion about the possibility to make content of the State Security Committees of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents files publicly available
• President Vaira Vike-Freiberga on education reform
• Possible creation of database of the non-citizens who want to naturalize but do not have money for naturalization fee
• Saeima MP Boris Tsilevitch about the events of the last year in connection to the minority education reform
• Youth project We are different, but united in Latvia reports on non-citizens and minority rights mechanisms
• Opinion poll indicates that 80% of minority students report difficulties understanding lessons in Latvian
• Event I speak Russian in Riga
• Planned protest actions against the education reform

Discussion about the possibility to make the content of the State Security Committee’s of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents’ files publicly available continues in the newspapers, featuring opinions of state officials. According to the head of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee Mareks Seglins, the content of former agents’ files will be made publicly available only if Saeima finds a way to legally define that it concerns only information on the political informers of the State Security Committee.

Discussion about the possibility to make the content of the State Security Committees of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents files publicly available continues in the newspapers, featuring opinions of state officials. According to the head of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee Mareks Seglins, the content of former agents files will be made publicly available only if Saeima finds a way to legally define that it concerns only information on the political informers of the State Security Committee. Telegraf features the opinion of the former deputy chairman of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia Janis Trubins, who believes that there would be a large amount of claims in court challenging the correctness of the information, if it would be made publicly available. Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Rigas Balss features an interview with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga about the education reform and relationship between Latvia and Russia. Commenting possible government acceptance of the requirements of the left-wing parties in the area of the education reform, the president states that Prime Minister Indulis Emsis took office promising to ensure that there will not be any yielding to popular pressure regarding the amendments to the Law on Education. The president also points out that a serious promise has also been issued to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus that the right to qualitative education for all children will not be endangered, and the government is working on its implementation. Vaira Vike-Freiberga thinks that the protest actions organizers are careful in their announcements, balancing on the edge of the permissible, and states that it is impossible to stop these persons actions until violation of the law has been proven.

People’s Harmony Party (PHP) in collaboration with the NGO Prata Speks (The Strength of Mind) is preparing to create a database of the non-citizens, who want to naturalize but do not have money for the naturalization fee. PHP, referring to sociological polls, states that the amount of the naturalization fee – 20 lats – still is the main obstacle for non-citizens to naturalize.

Peoples Harmony Party (PHP) in collaboration with the NGO Prata Speks (The Strength of Mind) is preparing to create a database of the non-citizens, who want to naturalize but do not have money for the naturalization fee. PHP, referring to sociological polls, states that the amount of the naturalization fee – 20 lats – still is the main obstacle for non-citizens to naturalize. Telegraf

Chas features an article by the Saeima MP Boris Tsilevitch about the events of the last year in connection to the implementation of the education reform. Boris Tsilevitch believes that, in contrast to the former government, the present Cabinet of Ministers has recognized the existence of the problem in the area of the education reform, but they are not capable of resolving it. The deputy also points to several ‘strategic mistakes of this government – the attempt to settle the problem at the level of explanations and propaganda, the lack of solution to the problem of the education quality, the active intervention of the secret services and the repressive measures against the organizers of the protest actions, as well as discounting of the parents opinion in the conclusions of the Ministry of Education and Science.

An opinion poll conducted by the NGO Latvian Youth Centre “Ejam” within the framework of the project “We are different, but united in Latvia” shows that 78% Latvian students and 58% Russian students believe that one benefits from being a citizen of Latvia. 32% of polled students were non-citizens: 55% of those stated that they want to naturalize, but 34% indicated that they do not want to become a citizen of Latvia. A study of the Republic of Latvia normative acts and international law in the area of promotion of the society integration and promotion of civic society was also conducted within the framework of this project. According to the author of the study Inta Mikluna, there is no mechanism for realization of the minorities’ rights fixed in the Constitution of Latvia. Inta Mikluna states that the law On the Unrestricted Development and Right to Cultural Autonomy of Latvia’s Nationalities and Ethnic Groups does not provide such a mechanism, stressing that the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities will not resolve the issue of how a violation of an individual’s minority rights can be contested either. The researcher also believes that Latvia due to its specific ethnic situation should avoid defining who belongs to a minority, because the risk of such attempts is that many groups of inhabitants may be excluded.

An opinion poll conducted by the NGO Latvian Youth Centre Ejam within the framework of the project We are different, but united in Latvia shows that 78% Latvian students and 58% Russian students believe that one benefits from being a citizen of Latvia. 32% of polled students were non-citizens: 55% of those stated that they want to naturalize, but 34% indicated that they do not want to become a citizen of Latvia. A study of the Republic of Latvia normative acts and international law in the area of promotion of the society integration and promotion of civic society was also conducted within the framework of this project. According to the author of the study Inta Mikluna, there is no mechanism for realization of the minorities rights fixed in the Constitution of Latvia. Inta Mikluna states that the law On the Unrestricted Development and Right to Cultural Autonomy of Latvias Nationalities and Ethnic Groups does not provide such a mechanism, stressing that the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities will not resolve the issue of how a violation of an individuals minority rights can be contested either. The researcher also believes that Latvia due to its specific ethnic situation should avoid defining who belongs to a minority, because the risk of such attempts is that many groups of inhabitants may be excluded. Latvijas Avize

Chas, referring to an opinion poll conducted by the State Education Inspection of the Ministry of Education and Science, informs that 80% minority students have difficulties learning subjects taught in Latvian. 57% of 10th graders have recognized that they have a good knowledge of Latvian, 33% noted that it is necessary to improve their knowledge, but 10% evaluated their language knowledge as insufficient.

Yesterday approximately 300, mainly elderly, persons participated at the event “I speak Russian” in Riga, organized by the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools. While several participants of the event, among them Saeima MPs Vladimirs Buzajevs (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Boris Tsilevitch (People’s Harmony Party) read poetry in the Russian language, young activists against the education reform offered an opportunity to register as a supporter of the Russian-speaking community.

Yesterday approximately 300, mainly elderly, persons participated at the event I speak Russian in Riga, organized by the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools. While several participants of the event, among them Saeima MPs Vladimirs Buzajevs (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Boris Tsilevitch (Peoples Harmony Party) read poetry in the Russian language, young activists against the education reform offered an opportunity to register as a supporter of the Russian-speaking community. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize features an article about planned protest actions against the education reform, to be organized by the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools.