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.

• Pupils who are non-citizens will have the right to go to EU countries without visa
• Police and officials do not take any measures to get rid of anti-Semitic graffiti
• New party ‘Another Policy has been formed
• Political Scientist David Laitin about ethnic relations in Latvia
• Riga Polish Primary School reorganised into a general pre-school
• Parade of the Russian culture in Riga at the end of September
• Broad ethnic integration project to be implemented in Ventspils
• Latvian youth about ethnic relations

Tuesday the Cabinet of Ministers will review amendments to regulations on passing borders. The new amendments stipulate that pupils who are non-citizens will not need a visa to go to EU countries if they are in the group of other pupils accompanied with a teacher.

Tuesday the Cabinet of Ministers will review amendments to regulations on passing borders. The new amendments stipulate that pupils who are non-citizens will not need a visa to go to EU countries if they are in the group of other pupils accompanied with a teacher. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that in Daugavpils (the second biggest city of Latvia in its North Eastern part) neither policy nor officials pay attention to anti-Semitic graffiti drawn on the walls of a building of Daugavpils District Council and take measures to get rid of the graffiti.

Newspapers report about the formation of a new party ‘Another Policy.’ The Vice Mayor of the Riga City Council Sergejs Dolgopolovs is one of the founders of the party. Almost 800 people have registered as party members. The basic theses of the party programme are the following: reduce social inequality, eliminate ethnic tension, and ensure stable economic development.

Newspapers report about the formation of a new party ‘Another Policy. The Vice Mayor of the Riga City Council Sergejs Dolgopolovs is one of the founders of the party. Almost 800 people have registered as party members. The basic theses of the party programme are the following: reduce social inequality, eliminate ethnic tension, and ensure stable economic development. Diena, NRA, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Chas interviews the professor of the Stanford University Daivid Laitin who has conducted a number of studies on Russian identity. The Professor states that he cannot explain why Latvian governments do not exploit the huge potential of the Russian-speaking community and argues that if he were a citizen of Latvia he would vote against such governments. However, as a political scientist he admits that a Latvian nationalist has all rights to use democratic institutions and procedures to promote the idea about the Latvian state. He notes that conflicts, which take place in Latvia, do not have destructive features, but is a demonstration of pluralism.

On the basis of the decision of the Riga City Council the Polish Primary School is undergoing re-organisation process into the pre-school. The decision is based on the claims that for years the school experienced the lack of students and that there is not a sufficient number of pre-schools in Riga. The Council believes that those children who want to study the Polish language and culture can do it at another Polish school.

On the basis of the decision of the Riga City Council the Polish Primary School is undergoing re-organisation process into the pre-school. The decision is based on the claims that for years the school experienced the lack of students and that there is not a sufficient number of pre-schools in Riga. The Council believes that those children who want to study the Polish language and culture can do it at another Polish school. NRA

28 -30 September the Secretariat of Societal Integration Minister organises the parade of the Russian culture.

28 -30 September the Secretariat of Societal Integration Minister organises the parade of the Russian culture. Vesti Segodnya

Chas reports that the NGO Centre in Ventspils received EUR 28, 452 from the Phare programme to implement the ethnic integration project ‘I, You, We – different, but all together!

Vesti Segodnya talks to two Latvian pupils to find out their opinions and stances about life and inter ethnic relations in Latvia. They both state that in daily life relations between Latvians and Russians are good, although they admit that both nations have stereotypes towards each other.