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.

• Hunger strike against the education reform
• Minority NGOs demand the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without any reservations
• Special Tasks Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks about a forthcoming Congress of the Russian Community
• Rigas Balss and Telegraf interview the advisor of the Minister of Education and Science Sergejs Ancupovs
• 980 naturalisation applicants participated in the Latvian language courses free of charge this year
• Eizenija Aldermane foresees that approximately 17,000 – 18,000 persons could be naturalised this year
• Newspapers report on a draft resolution about the necessity to evaluate the secret Molotov – Ribentroph pact
• Pamphlet ‘The Role of Education, Dialogue and Participation in the Promotion of Societal Integration Process by the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks
• Leader of the New Age Aleksejs Ledajevs: strong bilingualism in Latvia is a common goal of the New Age and Latvias First Party

Today a hunger strike organised by the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools has been launched. Newspapers feature statements of some Headquarters’ representatives about their motivation to participate in the hunger strike. One of the participants of the hunger strike, doctor Viktors Dergunovs, for instance, believes that the possibility to study in Russian increases competitiveness of Russian-speaking students. Viktors Dergunovs also believes that Latvians should share power with Russians, grant the Latvian citizenship to all inhabitants in Latvia and give Russian the status of the second state language. The advisor of the Minister of Education and Science Sergejs Ancupovs and the political scientist Marija Golubeva believe that the hunger strike is politicised and has almost no relation to education and its reform.

Today a hunger strike organised by the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools has been launched. Newspapers feature statements of some Headquarters representatives about their motivation to participate in the hunger strike. One of the participants of the hunger strike, doctor Viktors Dergunovs, for instance, believes that the possibility to study in Russian increases competitiveness of Russian-speaking students. Viktors Dergunovs also believes that Latvians should share power with Russians, grant the Latvian citizenship to all inhabitants in Latvia and give Russian the status of the second state language. The advisor of the Minister of Education and Science Sergejs Ancupovs and the political scientist Marija Golubeva believe that the hunger strike is politicised and has almost no relation to education and its reform. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday a number of minority NGOs sent out an open letter, which calls to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without any reservations. The letter was signed by members of nine NGOs, mainly representatives of the interests of the Russian minority, such as the Latvian Human Rights Committee, Russian Community in Latvia, Latvian Association of Russian Youth, association ‘Dvina’, Russian Community of Jelgava and others.

Yesterday a number of minority NGOs sent out an open letter, which calls to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without any reservations. The letter was signed by members of nine NGOs, mainly representatives of the interests of the Russian minority, such as the Latvian Human Rights Committee, Russian Community in Latvia, Latvian Association of Russian Youth, association ‘Dvina, Russian Community of Jelgava and others. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize features views of the Special Tasks Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks about a forthcoming Congress of the Russian Community. The Special Tasks Minister expresses concern regarding the goals set by the congress, such as, grant Russian the status of state language, introduce amendments to the Citizenship Law, as well as form the two community state in Latvia. Nils Muiznieks doubts that the Congress will be able to unify all Russians residing in Latvia. Although the representatives of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools claim that they have collected 30,000 signatures for the support for the formation of the new organisation, the Special Tasks Minister, however, states that he has information that these signatures were collected with questionable methods.

Rigas Balss and Telegraf print interviews with the advisor of the Minister of Education and Science Sergejs Ancupovs about the implementation of the education reform and the protest actions against it. Sergejs Ancupovs believes that by adopting the Law on Minority Schools, the government would demonstrate that it does not support assimilation of national minorities. According to the advisor, the law would provide an opportunity to promote national cultures and transition from post-soviet schools to normal national schools. When asked to comment on possible consequences of the education reform, Sergejs Ancupovs states that the reform may influence grades of approximately 10% minority school students who already are not successful students.

According to the information of the Naturalisation Board, 980 naturalisation applicants participated in the Latvian language courses free of charge this year.

According to the information of the Naturalisation Board, 980 naturalisation applicants participated in the Latvian language courses free of charge this year. Telegraf

Chas prints an interview with the chairperson of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane, who foresees that approximately 17,000 – 18,000 persons will naturalise this year.

Newspapers write about a draft resolution, prepared by the member of the European Parliament Girts Valdis Kristovskis about the necessity to evaluate the secret Molotov – Ribentroph pact. The representative of the European Nations Group Girts Valdis Kristovskis calls on the European Parliament not to permit Russia to exploit its compatriots, who are illegally situated in the former states of the USSR, as an instrument of political pressure.

Newspapers write about a draft resolution, prepared by the member of the European Parliament Girts Valdis Kristovskis about the necessity to evaluate the secret Molotov – Ribentroph pact. The representative of the European Nations Group Girts Valdis Kristovskis calls on the European Parliament not to permit Russia to exploit its compatriots, who are illegally situated in the former states of the USSR, as an instrument of political pressure. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize reports on the study ‘The Role of Education, Dialogue and Participation in the Promotion of Societal Integration, edited by the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks. The Minister hesitates to call it ‘a serious academic work, however, he believes that it could be very useful study aid for teachers and students. The study compiles nine lectures presented by the Foreign Affairs Minister, historian Juris Ciganovs and representative of the Societal Integration Secretariat Denis Hanovs on citizenship, language and gender equality issues.

‘The common goal of the religious movement New Age

‘The common goal of the religious movement New Age and the Latvias First Party is to strengthen bilingualism in Latvia, stated the leader of the New Age Aleksejs Ledajevs in the interview with the national radical newspaper DDD. Latvias First Party denies any relation to the statement and points to the party programme, which states that the Latvian language is the only state language. Aleksejs Ledajevs in the interview with the daily newspaper Diena denies his own statement, explaining that a journalist of the DDD has rather freely interpreted his statement. Diena