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 report on yesterdays protest actions against the education reform
• Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry condemns Latvia for violating the rights of Russian-speakers
• Petition against the education reform, signed by 1,000 non-Latvians, is submitted to the European Commission Education and Culture Commissioners secretariat
• Peoples Harmony Party will not ask the resignation of the government
• Riga vice-mayor Sergejs Dolgopolovs talks about the education reform
• Administrative Court does not accept a claim submitted by the Russian schools defender Eduards Goncarovs

Yesterday’s protest meeting against the education reform as well as the rock concert, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science, ran without any serious incidents. Approximately 5,000 – 6,000 people participated in the protest meeting against the education reform, organised by the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools. The Russian-language newspaper

Yesterdays protest meeting against the education reform as well as the rock concert, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science, ran without any serious incidents. Approximately 5,000 – 6,000 people participated in the protest meeting against the education reform, organised by the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools. The Russian-language newspaper Vesti Segodnya, however, reports that the number of participants reached 25,000. The number of participants who came to the rock concert reached 3,000 – 4,000. Yesterday also other protest activities took place in Riga: at night four persons, among them also participants of the hunger strike against the education reform, chained themselves to the doors of the Cabinet of Ministers. The police detained the people taking part in this protest action. On 1 September the police also detained two students who distributed leaflets in minority schools. The leaflets on the behalf of the Headquarters called to participate in protest actions. The Headquarters continues to call parents of minority students to participate in protest actions and students stay absent from schools. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

In response to an interview with the Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane with Russian mass media, the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a statement, which stresses that Russian-speakers in Latvia are deprived of their rights, and first of all it regards their rights to acquire qualitative secondary education in their native language. The Ministry basis its claims on the results of a study conducted by the Latvian Human Rights Committee.  Regarding the statement made by Eizenija Aldermane that holders of non-citizen passports enjoy all social rights, the Russian Ministry says that such statements do not correspond to reality. ‘According to the data provided in the study of the Latvian Human Rights Committee, in Latvia there are 62 differences between the status of citizens and non-citizens in Latvia.

In response to an interview with the Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane with Russian mass media, the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a statement, which stresses that Russian-speakers in Latvia are deprived of their rights, and first of all it regards their rights to acquire qualitative secondary education in their native language. The Ministry basis its claims on the results of a study conducted by the Latvian Human Rights Committee. Regarding the statement made by Eizenija Aldermane that holders of non-citizen passports enjoy all social rights, the Russian Ministry says that such statements do not correspond to reality. ‘According to the data provided in the study of the Latvian Human Rights Committee, in Latvia there are 62 differences between the status of citizens and non-citizens in Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

The member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka has submitted a petition against the education reform in Latvia to the European Commission Education and Culture Commissioner’s secretariat. The petition is signed by 1,000 non-Latvians.

The member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka has submitted a petition against the education reform in Latvia to the European Commission Education and Culture Commissioners secretariat. The petition is signed by 1,000 non-Latvians. Vesti Segodnya

The leader of the People’s Harmony Party Janis Jurkans is convinced that the Party will support his initiative to discontinue party’s support for the present government. He, however, believes that his party will not initiate the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The leader of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Jurkans is convinced that the Party will support his initiative to discontinue partys support for the present government. He, however, believes that his party will not initiate the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers. Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Telegraf

Telegraf features an interview with the Riga Vice-mayor Sergejs Dolgopolovs. The Vice-mayor believes that the problem of the education reform could be solved, if the education reform is discussed with and explained to students, parents and teachers. He also believes that non-citizens should naturalise more actively so they would be able to influence a political situation in the country.

The Administrative Court has refused the claim of the Russian schools’ defender Eduards Goncarovs challenging the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the authorisation of the procession against the education reform on 1 September.

The Administrative Court has refused the claim of the Russian schools defender Eduards Goncarovs challenging the decision of the Riga City Council to refuse the authorisation of the procession against the education reform on 1 September. Latvijas Avize