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.

• President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers called on the politicians not to divide residents according to their ethnic belonging
• Diena: state institutions do not calculate how much introduction of second state language would cost

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers made a traditional speech at the University of Latvia. According to the newspapers, the President stated that all children who were born in Latvia should be granted citizenship automatically because “they were born here and it is their motherland.” The President also called on the politicians not to divide residents according to their ethnic belonging.

Yesterday, the President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers made a traditional speech at the University of Latvia. According to the newspapers, the President stated that all children who were born in Latvia should be granted citizenship automatically because they were born here and it is their motherland. The President also called on the politicians not to divide residents according to their ethnic belonging. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Diena prints an article about the collection of signatures in support of Russian language as second official language in Latvia. According to the newspaper, state institutions did not start calculation on how much introduction of second state language would cost because it is not known yet whether referendum on this issue will be initiated. Experts interviewed by Diena believes that big activities of residents signing for such proposal is provoked by proposal of ethnic Latvian nationalists to make education in all state funded schools only in Latvian language. As reported, the organisation For Native Tongue reported that it has collected required 10,000 signatures for initiation of state funded collection of signatures during 45 days.