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.

• Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime on granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas
• Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins: speed of naturalisation has slowed down in 2006
• Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov: EU and NATO must help to solve the problems of non-citizens in Latvia

Yesterday, the Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime, which stipulate granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas. The amendments might become effective already in the middle of January 2007. The regulations will apply to all the EU countries but UK and Ireland, as well as to Norway and Iceland.

Yesterday, the Council of the European Union has approved the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime, which stipulate granting non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia rights to travel within the EU without visas. The amendments might become effective already in the middle of January 2007. The regulations will apply to all the EU countries but UK and Ireland, as well as to Norway and Iceland. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has stated that the speed of naturalisation has decreased in 2006. The Minister believed that the attitude of new citizens towards Latvian citizenship is more important than the number of citizens. Gaidis Berzins also stated that tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed and some its branches should be closed down.

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins (FF/LNIM) has stated that the speed of naturalisation has decreased in 2006. The Minister believed that the attitude of new citizens towards Latvian citizenship is more important than the number of citizens. Gaidis Berzins also stated that tasks of the Naturalisation Board must be reviewed and some its branches should be closed down. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has criticized Latvia for the large number of non-citizens and slow speed of naturalisation process in the country. Sergey Lavrov has stated that the EU and NATO must help to solve the situation of mass non-citizenship and problems of non-citizens in Latvia.

The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has criticized Latvia for the large number of non-citizens and slow speed of naturalisation process in the country. Sergey Lavrov has stated that the EU and NATO must help to solve the situation of mass non-citizenship and problems of non-citizens in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Chas