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.

• Chief of the State Police Valdis Voins: social and inter-ethnic tensions in Latvian society are growing
• For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM does not support draft amendments which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut
• Deputy of the Riga City Council Ruslan Pankratov: rules on obligatory state language proficiency for the deputies of the Saeima and municipal councils are discriminatory

According to the chief of the State Police Valdis Voins, social and inter-ethnic tensions in Latvian society are growing because of economic crisis. Lately, the police registered surge of crimes committed on xenophobic grounds. According to the opinion surveys provided by the police, 45% of ethnic Latvians and 41% of ethnic minorities in Latvia have extremely negative attitude towards Muslims. Mr. Voins stated that the police reinforced control over members of right-wing and left-wing radical movements because they can become catalysts of mass disorders during the crisis. Telegraf

The Saeimas faction For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) does not support amendments to the Law on Protection of Animals which allow slaughter of animals in the form of a ritual cut. The FF/LNIM considers that religious confessions non-traditional to Latvia, especially if their traditions contradict local traditions and ethic norms, should not be supported and strengthened in Latvia. As reported, the elaborated draft amendments allow slaughter of animals for consumption in the Halal method practiced in Islam and Judaism. Chas, Diena

Latvijas Avize reports that the deputy of the Riga City Council Ruslan Pankratov considers that the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers stipulating obligatory highest level of state language proficiency for the deputies of the Saeima and municipal councils are discriminatory. Therefore, Mr. Pankratov is verifying whether the Regulations comply with the EU standards. In the meantime, the Head of the Control Department of the State Language Centre Antons Kursitis believes that the Regulations are not discriminatory because they determine that deputies are not more equal than others among those to whom the State Language Law applies.