Integration monitor
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.
May 5, 2015
- Vesti Segodnya: Latvia might have to accommodate about 1,000 refugees per year
- Ex-MP Aleksejs Grigorjevs: citizenship declaration of 15 October 1991 was a mistake
According to Vesti Segodnya, if the European Commission adopts a decision on introduction of quotas for accommodation of refugees for every EU member state, Latvia might have to accommodate about 1,000 refugees per year. Such calculation is based upon proportion of state population and the number of refugees arriving toEurope. The newspaper also notes that by accepting 1,000 refugees per year, after four years their number in Latvia will be equal with the number of residents of Aglone district (region in the Eastern part of Latvia.)
Vesti Segodnya interviews Aleksejs Grigorjevs, former editor-in-chief of Russian outlet of pro-independence newspaper "Atmoda" published during independence movement and ex-MP of the Parliament which restored Latvia’s independence. Mr. Grigorjevs believes that generally, developments in Latvia since 1990 could be evaluated as "four out of five". However, he also believes the citizenship declaration adopted by the Parliament on 15 October 1991 was a mistake, because it sent a wrong message to ethnic non-Latvians: "we do not understand you and are afraid of you and it would be better if you were not here". If the attitude towards ethnic non-Latvians was different from the start, the safety of Latvian state would be much greater.