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.

28 July 2008

28 July 2008

• Nils Usakovs on the growing popularity of the Concord Centre
• Language curiosity competition Think about how you talk! ended

Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze interviewed Nils Usakovs, the leader of the Concord Centre (CC) about the popularity of the party (CC has for a long time been the most popular party in Latvia, supported by 10,5% of respondents in July), as well as about the referendum scheduled for 2 August 2008. N.Usakovs believes that the main factors determining rising popularity of the party are the growing popularity of the leftist, social-democratic ideas in Latvia and the fact that the CC is being formed as the first inter-ethnic political force, where ethnic Latvians and ethnic Russians are working together. Usakovs stated that taking into consideration fragmentation of the Parliament and the political sphere in general, right-wing parties will be forced to accept left-wing parties into governing coalitions in order to implement elements of left-wing policies.

Latvijas Avīze reports about the end of the language curiosity competition Think about how you talk!, organised by the State Language Agency (SLA) during 9-30 July 2008. The aim of the competition was to highlight the language used in everyday life. Language curiosities are available at SLA homepage www.valoda.lv.