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.

• Vladimirs Lindermans: we will push the Concord Centre to support the referendum on non-citizens
• Chas interviews political scientist Andrejs Berdnikovs

According to a representative of the Concord Centre (CC) Alfreds Rubiks interviewed by Diena, the CC does not support the referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens. If the referendum is conducted its result will be negative and the European institutions will say that it is a proof that the residents have made their decision and are against granting citizenship to non-citizens, believes Mr Rubiks. Another member of the CC, MP Andrejs Klementjevs says that this issue has not been discussed yet at the party’s board and in the Saeima’s faction, but believes such issue should be solved better in the Saeima. One of the initiators of the collection of signatures for support of the referendum on the status of Russian language, leader of a political party “For Native Language” Vladimirs Lindermans, in his turn, in interview with the newspaper says that everything will be done in order to push the Concord Centre to support the referendum. Diena

A political scientist Andrejs Berdnikovs believes the integration based on common values cannot be implemented in Latvia. Mr Berdnikovs believes the political nation should have common civil initiatives, political values instead of ethnic and cultural factors. Mr Berdnikovs says that according to his experience ethnic issues always come to the front stage in Latvia but social-economical, anti-corruption, and legal issues are less interesting for people. As reported, Andrejs Berdnikovs is ex-advisor of the Minister of Culture on integration issues and recently became a member of a political party “For Native Langauge” which initiated referendum on granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia. Chas