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.

• Russia’s Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov met with the Minister of Education Ina Druviete

Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of the Russia’s Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov and the Minister of Education Ina Druviete. The Ambassador clarified Russia’s plans to open Russian schools abroad saying that he doesn’t see a need for such schools in Latvia yet as Russian language and literature teaching in ethnic minority schools is at a high level. In response to the Ambassador’s concerns over the plan of the governing coalition to transfer education in ethnic minority schools into Latvian language starting with 2018, the Minister Druviete said that there are no plans to close ethnic minority schools but 80% of subjects will be in Latvian language. In native language ethnic minorities will study only those subjects which are connected with their cultural identity.