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.

Press Review

Press Review

Russia is trying actively to make Latvia simplify naturalization conditions for its permanent legal residents. In this connection,

Russia is trying actively to make Latvia simplify naturalization conditions for its permanent legal residents. In this connection, "DIENA" quotes a long-term doctrine for Russia's relations with the Baltic states drafted upon president Yeltsin's initiative. The document puts granting of Latvian citizenship to all Latvia's inhabitants among the priorities of Russian foreign politics. Russian Ambassador to Latvia Udaltsov during his meeting with Saeima Deputy-Speaker Ameriks also criticized naturalization tests for being too complicated. Head of the Naturalization Board Aldermane told "DIENA" that the Board was working on a special naturalization procedure for elderly applicants. The Board suggests relieving elderly people of the written test and to limit the test by offering applicants to fill out an official form. Mrs. Aldermane agrees that rendering a text in a written form may be difficult for an elderly person suffering from poor hearing. Part of the elderly non-Latvians is loyal to Latvia and is willing to take its citizenship. All of them, except Lithuanians and Estonians, are to pass naturalization tests to obtain citizenship. 33% of Latvian residents currently having the right to obtain citizenship through naturalization are over sixty-one years of age. Elderly people can choose whether to take a written or a verbal test. Mrs. Aldermane recommends taking a verbal test. She says that potential applicants should not pay too much attention to newspaper articles describing naturalization tests as an utterly negative experience. The process is not humiliating or embarrassing, says Aldermane referring to international experts who have monitored the tests. The Naturalization Board believes that citizenship cannot be granted to all permanent residents automatically. Diena

Saeima Speaker Alfred Cepanis in an interview for the

Saeima Speaker Alfred Cepanis in an interview for the BNS news agency criticized Latvia for not paying sufficient attention to its relations with Russia. Mr. Cepanis admits that Russia has interpreted the Declaration on Occupation by the Saeima as an unfriendly gesture. He believes that the Declaration was a document for "internal use" adopted to bring moral contentment to all those having suffered from German and Soviet occupation. Mr. Cepanis said that he would explain that to the Russian side during his visit to Moscow. The Saeima Speaker stressed the importance of the border agreement with Russia. He believes that it should be a purely technical agreement without any connection to the 1920 Riga Peace Treaty. Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press-Secretary Pildegovics refused to comment on Cepanis' statements before the Ministry obtains the full text of his interview.Diena

Duma Deputy-Speaker Sergey Baburin (The Russian National Union) in an interview for "SM" said that the Russian Government was considering possible economic sanctions against Latvia and Estonia to be applied in case the two countries refused "to stop discriminating against their Russian-speaking population". According to Baburin, Russia could choose other transit routes for exporting its goods and resources to the West to by-pass Latvia and Estonia. SM