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.

• Chas interviews the new Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks
• Official Russias delegation held meeting with local Russians
• Latvijas Avize continues to write about stories about Latvia published by the BBC News
• Article about poet Ludmila Azarova-Vaciete

Chas interviews the new Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks (the New Era). When asked to comment on ‘the Russian issue, the Mayor states that ‘we will do everything to make all residents of Riga feel comfortable in the city. However, when asked about the possible formation of the National Minority Council, the Mayor states that this issues cannot be solved in the framework of one city.

Vesti Segodnya reports on the meeting of members of the Russian community in Latvia with members of the Russias official delegation, which visited Latvia last week. The newspaper prints that the Head of the delegation Sergey Yastrzhembsky admitted that Russia has not been thinking very much about her compatriots lately, however, now the situation of compatriots abroad is a priority issue in the Russian domestic policy. While the Head of the LASHOR Igors Pimenovs noted that ‘when Russian politicians are provocative towards Latvia, it immediately influences attitudes towards us.

The columnist of

The columnist of Latvijas Avize Aija Calite continues to write about articles published by the BBC News about Latvia. In one of the articles BBC reporter wrote about a teacher who teaches at Russian language school and despite the Education Law she continues to teach her students in Russian. The columnist of Latvijas Avize has inquired a number of persons and institutions – the British Embassy, the Latvian Institute – trying to find out what sources of information the BBCs journalist used to collect the published information.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about poet Ludmila Azarova-Vaciete. The newspaper stresses that she is of Russian origin and quotes a number of prominent persons, such as the Education Minister Ina Druviete and poet Mara Zalite, about the big contribution of Ludmila Azarova-Vaciete in building bridges between Russians and Latvians.