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.

• Research “Analyses of Integration Process of Latvian Non-citizens: Study, Forecasts, Solutions, and Dialogue”
• Head of a radio broadcasting company Ugis Polis criticizes draft amendments envisaging that a range of radio stations broadcasting in Russian language will have to broadcast in Latvian language only
• Diena prints an article about use of media in Latgale

The Baltic Institute of Social Sciences conducted a research “Analyses of Integration Process of Latvian Non-citizens: Study, Forecasts, Solutions, and Dialogue.” According to it, there are 2% of Russia’s citizens in Latvia and every year number of Russia’s citizens grows. At the same time, number of applications for naturalisation decreases. 13% of permanent Latvian residents are non-citizens. Vesti Segodnya

Head of a radio broadcasting company Ugis Polis appealed to the head of the Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee and the National Council on Electronic Mass Media calling to revoke the draft amendments to Law on Electronic Mass Media envisaging that a range of radio stations broadcasting in Russian language will have to broadcast in Latvian language only. The radio stations will be allowed to broadcast songs in foreign languages but all the programmes will have to be in Latvian only. Mr Polis criticizes such draft amendments and believes those are aimed at liquidation of the leading Russian language mass media in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya

Diena prints an article about use of media in Latgale (eastern Latvian region).  According to it, large part of residents living in the border area still prefers to watch Russia’s TV channels. The Ombudsman Juris Jansons believes that the problem is in the fact that Latvian TV channel are not technically available for those residents. However, interviewed residents explain their choice is based in more interesting content provided by Russia’s TV channel. The newspaper also notes that LTV7 recently introduced four new programmes in Russian language aimed at provision of information for Russian speaking residents.