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.

• Rabbi Menahems Barkans: “do not think about how to make life hard for the others, but think about how to make life better for all ethnicities which live in Latvia”
• NGO Russian Community of Latvia decided to list properties which belonged to various Russian minority organisations before the WWII  

Latvijas Avize interviews Riga Rabbi Menahems Barkans, who is also the head of the Jewish NGO “Samir” and the Riga Ghetto Museum. Mr.Barkans points out at the obstacle, which prevented the restitution of many Jewish properties: out of 93,000 Jews of the pre-war Latvia, only 185 remained alive in Latvia by 1944, most perished in Holocaust, while others were in exile in the Eastern parts of the USSR (Mr.Barkans himself was born in Samarkand). The interests of the present occupants of the properties (private persons, schools, hospitals) should be guaranteed by signing special contracts. The whole concept approach should be changed: “do not think about how to make life hard for the others, but think about how to make life better for all ethnicities which live in Latvia.” Mr.Barkans also believes that dual citizenship should be granted to all descendants of the citizens of the pre-war Latvia: grandchildren of those Jews, who escaped from Holocaust, grandchildren of those SS officers, who escaped to Germany and later to America, grandchildren of those who were deported to Russia and who are now Russian citizens. All those people could be a great asset to Latvia and make significant contribution; if those people do not speak the state language, the state should provide language training, similarly to opportunities offered in Israel. Also, some national body should be established in order to consolidate young citizens and non-citizens of Latvia.  

NGO “Russian Community of Latvia” decided to compile a list of properties which belonged to various Russian minority organisations before the WWII and were not returned to the minority during the restitution process. During the inter-war years, there were tens of Russian minority organisations in Latvia, although the issue of property restitution was never fully researched. Board member of the NGO “Russian Community of Latvia” Igors Vatolins stated that one of the options is that the community will not request restitution of those properties, which are adequately used and were the state or private owners made large investments; instead, currently abandoned properties could be returned. Vesti Segodya