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.

• Teacher of a Russian language school stated that he is disloyal towards Latvian state
• 51% of Latvian residents do not support granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens automatically
• Political scientist Juris Rozenvalds: there is no one truth in non-citizenship issue

The nationalists’ union “All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM appealed to the Minister of Education calling to evaluate whether Vladislavs Rafalskis who stated in a radio broadcast that he is disloyal towards Latvian state has the right to work in a school as a teacher. Mr Rafalskis works in a Russian language school in Riga and was known for his activities against introduction of bilingual education system in minority schools in 2002. In a radio interview Mr Rafalskis stated: “I am not loyal towards this state, I despise the regime, because it repels my children, it permanently complicates their life.” The nationalists’ union believes that such persons cannot teach children and work in Latvian education establishments. Minister of Education Roberts Kilis also believes that a teacher should not make such statements because the mission of teachers is to raise responsible people and Latvian patriots, however, the Ministry is not responsible for hiring school’s personnel.

According to a public opinion survey conducted by TNS Latvia and TV channel LNT, 51% of economically active residents of Latvia do not support initiative on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens automatically.  31% of respondents support this initiative. 18% have no specific opinion about the issue. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

According to a political scientist Juris Rozenvalds, problem of non-citizens is a classic example of uniqueness and complicatedness of situation in Latvia when there is no one truth. However, the initiative for support of referendum on granting citizenship to non-citizens in its present form leads to a new wave of radicalisation because of its ethnic dimension. Chas