Integration monitor

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.

Aug. 22, 2005

  • Red Cross: illegal immigrants from Somalia may not be informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia
  • Telegraf develops a discussion on loyalty concept
  • Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools calls Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks to establish the Russian School and the Centre for Culture in Riga
  • Chair of the Russian Centre for International Research and Cultural Collaboration under the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Eleonora Mitrofanova talks about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia
Members of the Latvian Red Cross express their doubts whether seven illegal immigrants are informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia. Representatives of the State Boarder Guard Forces, however, have not provided their comments on the issue.

Members of the Latvian Red Cross express their doubts whether seven illegal immigrants are informed about their right to seek asylum in Latvia. Representatives of the State Boarder Guard Forces, however, have not provided their comments on the issue. Diena points out that the Immigration Law does not provide that boarder guards should explain illegal immigrants their rights. The lawyer of the Latvian National Human Rights Office Liga Biksiniece states that the Office will examine the case if there is a report about violations of the rights of the immigrants. Neatkariga Rita Avize reports on the living conditions of the Somali immigrants in the Olaine refugee camp. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize

Telegraf develops a discussion on the loyalty concept, featuring statements of a number of social scientists and politicians about the issue. As it was reported among others the new draft amendments provide the inclusion of the criteria of loyalty in the Citizenship Law. Lecturer of the University of Latvia Sergejs Kruks and the deputy chair of the Peoples Harmony Partys parliamentary group Andrejs Klementjevs believe that there are no such criteria which could assess persons level of loyalty. They argue that in democracy a loyal person should observe the law, however, s/he has the right to question it. While the head of the New Eras parliamentary group Karlis Saduskis argues that a loyal person do not necessarily has to love the state, however, the person has to observe the letter and spirit of law and not spoil states international image. The MP of the union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Maris Grinblats believes that a person, who is the member of anti-state organisations, participates in protest actions and calls others to do such actions, violates the law and is not loyal to the state.

The Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools has called the Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks asking to establish the Russian National School and Centre for Culture in the building of the recently closed Riga Secondary School No 44. The Congress proposes to establish a Russian library and museum at the premises of the building as well as provide space for associations of Russian cultural.

The Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language Schools has called the Riga Mayor Aivars Aksenoks asking to establish the Russian National School and Centre for Culture in the building of the recently closed Riga Secondary School No 44. The Congress proposes to establish a Russian library and museum at the premises of the building as well as provide space for associations of Russian cultural. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segondya features an interview with Eleonora Mitrofanova, the chair of the Russian Centre for International Research and Cultural Co-operation under the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. The main topic of the interview is the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia. According to Eleonora Mitrofanova, Russia is not going to accept that the quality of education provided by in Russian at schools in Latvia is getting worse. She also criticizes Latvia for denying Russian speakers a possibility to communicate with municipalities in their native tongue. Eleonora Mitrofanova believes that Russian should have the status of an official language in all territories inhabited by Russian-speakers in substantial numbers.

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