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.

• Constitutional amendments did not gather sufficient support in a referendum
• Report about the work of the Security Police discussed
• Radical right-wing party launched new video clip

Newspapers report that constitutional amendments envisaging citizens’ right to dissolve Latvia’s parliament, did not gather sufficient support in a referendum on 2 August 2008.

Newspapers report that constitutional amendments envisaging citizens right to dissolve Latvias parliament, did not gather sufficient support in a referendum on 2 August 2008. Neatkariga Rita Avize (NRA) comments that Russian boggard has failed to materialise or to scare the voters. Despite some claims that activity of Russian voters was greater than usual, NRA notes that there are no data about ethnic affiliation of referendums participants, while some experts point out that proposed amendments do not concern Russian voters directly.

Telegraf discusses report about the work of the Security Police during the first half of 2008. Anatolijs Berezovskis, the head of Roma NGO Nevo Drom, recognises that many discriminatory and hate speech comments against Roma are published on the internet, although he is not convinced that national extremist activities have left the streets and moved into the internet. According to Mr.Berezovskis, discrimination against the Roma is not rare, yet many victims are not reporting the instances of discrimination. According to Kristine Garina, Board member of LGBT NGO Mozaika, people became more cautious about openly expressing discriminatory views in the real world; therefore, intolerance and extremism are more often expressed in the virtual world, where people mistakenly believe they are anonymous.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a new video clip launched by the radical right-wing party All for Latvia! calling for transition of all state funded schools to Latvian language. The images of Soviet tanks, portrait of Stalin and phrases in Russian are contrasted with Latvian patriotic songs and calls for Latvian Latvia.