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.

Press Report

Press Report

Prime-Minister Krasts is forming his office. According to

Prime-Minister Krasts is forming his office. According to "DIENA", four advisors are already working for the office. Meanwhile, "Latvijas Cels", "Saimnieks" and "Tevzemei un Brivibai" suggest establishing a consultative council to assist the Prime-Minister in resolving economic issues. Smaller governing coalition parties were not informed about the decision by the "big three" while Prime-Minister Krasts did not welcome the idea. Mr. Krasts even said that he would resign in case a political party or a group of parties tried to press on him by imposing their policies. "DIENA" points at the contradictions between the Prime-Minister's plans of reforming the country's economics and his party's ("Tevzemei un Brivibai") populist policy. These contradictions may be aggravated by EU requirements to abolish employment restrictions for non-citizens and to liberalize the land market.Diena

Last week member of the European Parliament Jorn Donner (Finland) advised the Estonian Government to change its language policy by giving Russian the status of the second official state language. Mr. Donner is a member of a working group that prepares a report on the situation in the country for the European Commission. According to

Last week member of the European Parliament Jorn Donner (Finland) advised the Estonian Government to change its language policy by giving Russian the status of the second official state language. Mr. Donner is a member of a working group that prepares a report on the situation in the country for the European Commission. According to "SM", his opinion is shared by the OSCE High Commissioner's expert team and by several senior European Union and European Parliament officials. The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers drafted a declaration in support of bringing the country's legislation in compliance with European Union standards. The adoption of the document was delayed by the forming of the new Cabinet. Almost all of the Latvian citizenship-related legal acts contradict Latvia's obligations in the human rights domain. Director of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Nils Muiznieks doubts that the Prime-Minister and his party ("Tevzemei un Brivibai") "will make a step toward meeting EU requirements on citizenship and naturalization."