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.

Press Report

About 41 00 people have signed the proposal for a referendum in Riga by Sunday. It is possible that the total number of signatures collected could be more that 100 000 - 3/4 of the necessary number to propose a referendum. Central Election commission informs that activity of people is still increasing.

About 41 00 people have signed the proposal for a referendum in Riga by Sunday. It is possible that the total number of signatures collected could be more that 100 000 - 3/4 of the necessary number to propose a referendum. Central Election commission informs that activity of people is still increasing. Diena, Jauna Avize

Diena

continues its series of articles on the referendum, this time it is A.Ozolins who tries to explain what the amendments to the Law on Citizenship are for in reality. To begin with - abolishing the window mechanism does not mean granting citizenship automatically to non-citizens but just the opposite - taking away the automatic prohibition for a big part of people, knowing the state language, at least an attempt to receive citizenship. Secondly - the amendments do not anticipate granting citizenship automatically to any non-citizen, even, to children born in the independent Latvia. Parents of such a children have to comply with several criteria to be able to submit a written request to grant their children Latvian citizenship, besides they have to prove with their signature their intention to raise their children as loyal citizens of Latvia and to further mastering of the Latvian language.