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

Last Friday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Memorandum for the European Union and the European Commission confirming Latvia's commitment to eliminating the flaws mentioned in the report by the Commission. Among the steps to be taken the Memorandum mentions the strengthening of the country's Eastern border, the accomplishment of the privatization program, the improvement of the efficiency of the banking system, etc. The document does not contain obligations related to acceding European conventions on minorities. The Cabinet adopted the paragraph on naturalization in the reading suggested by

Last Friday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Memorandum for the European Union and the European Commission confirming Latvia's commitment to eliminating the flaws mentioned in the report by the Commission. Among the steps to be taken the Memorandum mentions the strengthening of the country's Eastern border, the accomplishment of the privatization program, the improvement of the efficiency of the banking system, etc. The document does not contain obligations related to acceding European conventions on minorities. The Cabinet adopted the paragraph on naturalization in the reading suggested by "Tevzemei un Brivibai"/LNNK. Measures to be taken by Latvia, according to the memorandum, will include a thorough analysis of the reasons of slow naturalization (instead of facilitating the process, as suggested by the draft document). Other points of the document include analyzing employment restrictions for non-citizens (instead of canceling the restrictions) and reducing the naturalization fee for certain social groups (but not for all applicants). Latvia will attach a program for implementing the points of the Memorandum to the document. A Government committee will consider the program next week. Diena, B&B

Mr. Egils Levits, a judge at the Human Rights Court, in an interview for

Mr. Egils Levits, a judge at the Human Rights Court, in an interview for "FOKUSS" said that Latvia's inhabitants had not applied to the Court yet since the corresponding convention came into force in Latvia only in June. An individual can apply to the Human Rights Court after he or she applied to the courts of all instances in his/her country. The convention is not retroactive, therefore the Court accepts complaints related to the facts that took place after the date on which the convention came into force in Latvia. Fokuss