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.

• Latvijas Avize prints an article about action plan of the Guidelines of National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy for 2014-2016
• Protestors against language reform 2004 discussed their previous activities
• Latvijas Avize reports about a film “Russian Schools to exist” created to remind about the protests against language reform 2004 and to activate residents for new protests

Latvijas Avize prints an article about action plan of the Guidelines of National Identity, Civil Society and Integration Policy 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. The action plan was announced at the meeting of State Secretaries and foresees actions for 2014-2016. The plan foresees different activities aimed at development of civil society including support to NGOs, strengthening of national identity, and promoting common social memory. The activities engage different ministries and state institutions: the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Culture, National Council on Electronic Mass Media, Society Integration Foundation, and State Chancellery. The newspapers notes that for activities to be done in 2014 it is foreseen to allocate about 2,5 millions euros, for 2015 – more than 11 millions, and for 2016 – 10,6 millions. However, the funding planned by the Guidelines were not granted yet for implementation of all the activities. The newspaper also questions whether all the planned activities are effective and require such funding. The director of the Education Department of the Ministry of Education also doubts the activities written in the plan, because those activities duplicate activities listed in policy documents of other ministries.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a discussion of persons who took part in the protest actions against language reform in ethnic minority schools 2004. The discussion was organised in the framework of the conference of Russian compatriots in connection with a new language reform in ethnic minority schools scheduled for 2018. According to the discussion, one of the most difficult aspects taking actions against the reform was establishment of a dialogue between schools representatives and state authorities.

Latvijas Avize reports about a film “Russian Schools to exist” created by an activist for protection of the Russian language schools, member of the Congress of Non-citizens Aleksandrs Gaponenko. According to the newspaper, the film reminds about the protests against language reform in ethnic minority schools 2004. The film asserts that the aim of the reform was assimilation of Russian children and that only mass protest actions, hunger strikes, conferences and other actions helped to soften the government’s plans, which was forced to introduce the 60/40 proportion in minority secondary schools, thus allowing to teach up to 40% in native language, as well as forced to leave minority basic education intact. The aim of the film is to activate Russian language residents in Latvia to protest against government plans to transfer almost all education content in minority schools into Latvian language starting with 2018.