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.

• Latest ratings of political parties
• Latvijas Avize continues discussions about eligibility of the member of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis for naturalisation
• Recently adopted Framework Document on National Security admits that the lack of societal integration is among the highest risk factors of society destabilisation
• 11 minority organisations will receive state funding
• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has not confirmed her participation at the celebration of the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005 yet
• Presidium of the European Parliament does not object to usa languages, which are not the official languages in the EU, in work of the European Parliament

The latest

The latest Latvijas Fakti opinion poll indicates that in October the New Era is still the most popular party, although its rating has dropped from 17.4% in September to 12.6% in October. The For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM would be supported by 9% of Latvian citizens. The rating of the third most popular party - the governing party Union of Farmers and Greens - has increased from 6.3% in September to 8.9% in October. The rating of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia has dropped from 10.5% to 7% and it is the fifth most popular party in Latvia. According to the poll 7.3% support the Peoples Party, 5.6% - the Peoples Harmony Party, 3.6% - Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party, 3.5% - Latvias Way and 2.1% - Latvias First Party. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

The Saeima Society Integration Subcommittee has concluded that there is a legal base not to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis, activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools, Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. Jurijs Petropavlovskis has already passed naturalisation tests, however, the Naturalisation Board has not granted him citizenship waiting for the explanation from Security Police why granting Latvian citizenship to this person is “problematic.”

The Saeima Society Integration Subcommittee has concluded that there is a legal base not to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis, activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools, Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. Jurijs Petropavlovskis has already passed naturalisation tests, however, the Naturalisation Board has not granted him citizenship waiting for the explanation from Security Police why granting Latvian citizenship to this person is problematic. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Cabinet of Ministers supported the Framework Document on National Security. According to the newspaper the Document states that main threats to Latvias security lie in its internal issues. The authors of the Document name the lack of societal integration as one of the risk factors. The authors of the Document also admit that a large number of people who do not have any citizenship is also among the destabilising factors.

Yesterday the Secretariat of the Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs signed the agreement with 11 minority organisations about providing state funding to these organisations.

Yesterday the Secretariat of the Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs signed the agreement with 11 minority organisations about providing state funding to these organisations. Telegraf

‘The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has not confirmed her participation at the celebration of the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005 yet,’ has stated the press secretary of the President of Latvia Aiva Rozenberga commenting the call of the European Parliament’s MPs to the leaders of the EU to ignore the invitation of the President of Russia Vladimirs Putins.

‘The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has not confirmed her participation at the celebration of the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005 yet, has stated the press secretary of the President of Latvia Aiva Rozenberga commenting the call of the European Parliaments MPs to the leaders of the EU to ignore the invitation of the President of Russia Vladimirs Putins. Diena

The Parliamentary Group of the European United Left and Nordic Green Left in the European Parliament (EP) has received a response from the EP’s Presidium. According to the letter, the Presidium has no objections to the usage of languages, which are not official languages in the EU, in work of the European Parliament if an MP who wants to use the language is able to provide translation.

The Parliamentary Group of the European United Left and Nordic Green Left in the European Parliament (EP) has received a response from the EPs Presidium. According to the letter, the Presidium has no objections to the usage of languages, which are not official languages in the EU, in work of the European Parliament if an MP who wants to use the language is able to provide translation. Vesti Segodnya believes that this letter shows the victory of EU ethnic minorities. Vesti Segodnya