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.

• Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes
• Ombudsman Juris Jansons in Facebook discussion referred to opponent’s ethnic origin
• Latvijas Avize: Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers for ethnic minority schools

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs started a procedure on possible deprivation of Latvian citizenship of an ex-National Bolshevik Aijo Benes for being a member of foreign military forces. Aijo Benes took active part in actions supporting reunion of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions with Russia. He also positioned himself as a member of the Crimean “self defence” forces. The Citizenship Law stipulates that a person can be deprived of Latvian citizen for being a member of foreign military forces. However, the newspaper notes the same article stipulates that the citizenship cannot be deprived if in the result the person becomes stateless. The newspaper also notes that in 2013, 56 persons got deprived of Latvian citizenship, mainly for being citizens of a foreign state with which dual citizenship is not allowed by the Latvian legal acts. Also, 220 persons refused Latvian citizenship in favour of other state’s citizenship (mainly Russian.)

Vesti Segodnya reports about comments published by the Ombudsman Juris Jansons on Facebook. Commenting discussion about criminalisation of public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression of the MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) and other persons, the Ombudsman alleged Mr Cilevics of provocations and referred to B.Cilevics’ ethnic origin. J. Jansons also noted that in this discussion he expressed his personal opinion.

Latvijas Avize reports that despite government’s plans to increase proportion of education content taught in state language in national minority schools, the Education and Science Ministry does not have a clear plan how to prepare more teachers specifically for these schools.  Reform’s opponents assert that if the language reform in introduced about 70-80% of national minority schools teachers may lose their jobs due to insufficient state language proficiency and there will be no other teachers to replace them. The Ministry does not agree that there will such dramatic problems because during past ten years schools already increased proportion of Latvian language in education process.