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

Director of the Institute of International Relations Juris Bojars believes that the right to receive citizenship through naturalization should have been provided first to ethnic Latvians repatriating from Russia, and then to ethnic Estonians, Lithuanians and Poles residing in Latvia. The next stage should have covered ethnic Russians who could have been divided into groups depending on the number of years spent in Latvia. In an interview for

Director of the Institute of International Relations Juris Bojars believes that the right to receive citizenship through naturalization should have been provided first to ethnic Latvians repatriating from Russia, and then to ethnic Estonians, Lithuanians and Poles residing in Latvia. The next stage should have covered ethnic Russians who could have been divided into groups depending on the number of years spent in Latvia. In an interview for "DIENA" Mr. Bojars did not agree that the Convention on the Child's Rights require granting of citizenship to children of stateless residents of Latvia. He also noted that the study of international practice showed that many countries had a considerably stricter citizenship legislation than Latvia. Diena

Director of the Estonian Citizenship and Immigration Department Andres Kollist in an interview for

Director of the Estonian Citizenship and Immigration Department Andres Kollist in an interview for BNS said that public opinion in his country tended to accept granting of Estonian citizenship to non-citizens' children. Mr. Kollist noted that OSCE High Commissioner van der Stoel supported a simplified procedure of naturalization of children born in Estonia. SM

According to the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Ulmanis may have meetings with Russian Premier Chernomyrdin and Byelorussian President Lukashenko during an international conference in Vilnius on September 5. The agenda of Mr. Ulmanis' meeting with the Russian Prime-Minister will focus mainly on economic issues and on the work of the Inter-Governmental Commission.

According to the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Ulmanis may have meetings with Russian Premier Chernomyrdin and Byelorussian President Lukashenko during an international conference in Vilnius on September 5. The agenda of Mr. Ulmanis' meeting with the Russian Prime-Minister will focus mainly on economic issues and on the work of the Inter-Governmental Commission. Chas