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.

• Presidents Chancery discusses recently adopted amendments to the Law on Radio and Television
• Leader of the Latvian National Democratic Party has asked the General Prosecutors Office to examine the publication in the regional newspaper Kurzemes Vards and plans to bring charges against Nils Muiznieks
• Chairperson of the Union of the Greens and Farmers on ratification of the Convention
• Telegraf on the situation of minority schools
• Interest of schools inimplementing ofthe integration project has dropped this year

Yesterday the President’s Chancery discussed recently adopted amendments to the Law on Radio and Television which foresee that the Cabinet of Ministers has the right to set specific provisions concerning the usage of the language of broadcasting if the usage of the state language is endangered or restricted in the territory of a respective broadcaster.  The union For Human Rights in the United Latvia asked the President not to promulgate the Law. The President has to take decision on promulgation till 13 November.

Yesterday the Presidents Chancery discussed recently adopted amendments to the Law on Radio and Television which foresee that the Cabinet of Ministers has the right to set specific provisions concerning the usage of the language of broadcasting if the usage of the state language is endangered or restricted in the territory of a respective broadcaster.The union For Human Rights in the United Latvia asked the President not to promulgate the Law. The President has to take decision on promulgation till 13 November. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The leader of the Latvian National Democratic Party Jevgenijs Osipovs has asked the General Prosecutor’s Office to examine the publication in the regional newspaper

The leader of the Latvian National Democratic Party Jevgenijs Osipovs has asked the General Prosecutors Office to examine the publication in the regional newspaper Kurzemes Vards. The newspaper published a number of photos and asked its readers to come up with smart and funny titles for the photos. On one of the photos there was a wall with pictures of swastika and skinheads. The leader of the Latvian National Democratic Party believes that publications of such photos are not acceptable. Chas

While

While Vesti Segodnya reports that Jevgenijs Osipovs is planning to apply with court against the Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration who stated that he does not believe that Osipovs has given up his anti-semitic views.

Latvijas Avize talks to the Chairperson of the Union of the Greens and Farmers Augusts Brigmanis. Regarding ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Augusts Brigmanis states that he cannot support ratification until there is no clear definition what is a minority in Latvia. He continues that the Convention should not be ratified if it harms the interests of Latvians and argues that it should be ratified with reservations.

Telegraf prints a detailed article on the situation of minority schools. The newspaper writes that the report of the Ministry of Education and Science, which states that minority schools were ready for the reform, is also supported by principles of minority schools. However, the newspaper adds that minority school principles agree with the Ministry at official level, while in informal talks they admit that both teachers and students experience very big difficulties. The Chairperson of the FHRULs faction in Saeima Yakov Pliner also notes that people are afraid to talk openly about the problems concerning the education reform. According to the survey conducted by FHRUL the level of academic achievements of students of minority schools has considerably dropped.

NRA reports on the project competition ‘Towards a Civil Society. The key goal of the project is to foster education of students about their rights and increase their involvement in the formation of an integrated and civil society. The competition takes place already for a number of years, however, in comparison to the last year the number of project applications has dropped almost twice – this year there were only 28 project applications. The biggest number of projects deals with promotion of the acquisition of Latvian citizenship and awareness campaigns on citizenship issues.