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.

• European Parliament adopted the amendments to the regulations on the EU visa regime on granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas
• Saeima declined the proposal of the political party FF/LNIM to deprive municipal deputies their mandate if they do not have sufficient state language skills
• European Court of Human Rights has accepted an appeal of the activist of the Headquarters Jurijs Petropavlovskis
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens
• Applicant for citizenship caught cheating during naturalisation exam

Yesterday, the European Parliament adopted amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime, which would stipulate granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas. MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka in an interview with Chas stated that the amendments will allow non-citizens to stay in any the EU country without visa, however it will not permit them to work in those countries. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Diena, Latvijas Vestnesis

Yesterday, the Saeima declined the proposal of the political party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM to deprive municipal deputies their mandates if he/she has insufficient state language skills. The Saeima supported the draft amendments to the Law on the Population Register which annulled an article stipulating that if parents of a newborn child are a Latvian non-citizen and a foreign citizen the parents might choose childs citizenship. The MP Nils Usakovs (the Concord Centre) in an interview with Chas stated that if the draft amendments are adopted such children will have a foreign nationality and will not have the rights to receive Latvian citizenship without naturalisation as it is for children born after 1991 in a family where both parents are non-citizens. Also the Saeima has supported the draft amendments to the Criminal Law which stipulate criminal liability for a person who made an attempt to pass naturalisation exam instead of a real applicant. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena

The European Court of Human Rights has accepted an appeal of the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools Jurijs Petropavlovskis. As reported, Jurijs Petropavlovskis was denied Latvian citizenship despite that he undergone the whole naturalisation process. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize, Diena

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens. Mr. Kastens stated that the priorities of his work are based on integration of ethnic minorities into Latvian society, maintenance of connections with Latvians abroad, and development of civil society. The Minister also believed that Latvia is not typical two-community state and the main signs of divided societies are seen only in the informative space because a part of society have insufficient Latvian language skills.

Diena reports that one of the applicants for citizenship was caught cheating during the naturalisation examination in Riga. Within six months it has been a third person caught in cheating. The examination of the applicant was annulled.